Sweeps Ban Bill Passes Out Of New York Racing, Gaming, And Wagering Senate Committee

The New York Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee passed a bill by Chair Joseph Addabbo on Tuesday that would ban online sweepstakes casinos in the Empire State.

The current hot-button issue of the gaming industry continues to be tackled in multiple statehouses, with New York among a handful of states looking to outlaw platforms comprised of social casinos using sweepstakes prizing. Addabbo, who is the Senate’s point person on all things gaming in New York, brought SB 5935 forward in what was a brief hearing with only three bills up for consideration.

“This is a growing issue,” said Addabbo. “We have these online sweepstakes casinos that basically look a lot like casino games, but they go unregulated. And right now we have a number of states, Connecticut being one of them, that basically made it illegal.”

Addabbo cites High5 as reason to move bill forward

Addabbo further illustrated his point referencing High5Games, an online sweeps casino that was hit with over 1,000 criminal counts of conducting illegal gaming activity by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection on Monday. The CDP, which alleges High5Games was falsely marketing its sweepstakes offering as a “licensed” casino, also suspended the company’s license.

“They (CDP) kicked out one of their operators,” the state senator said. “And that operator was actually targeting individuals who self-excluded. So individuals say, ‘This is too much for me, I don’t want to gamble.’ These groups were actually targeting those individuals.

“So we’re looking to ban these kind of illegal, unregulated gaming sites in New York state. I love this bill, especially during our problem gaming awareness month.”

Sen. Pamela Helming was an “Aye without Recommendation” vote, telling Addabbo that she “wholeheartedly agreed with the intent” of the bill but had concerns about the bill’s language after constituents called her office with questions. Addabbo said he would address those with Helming post-meeting.

A companion bill (A 6745) was filed in the Assembly last week by Asm. Carrie Woerner and is currently in the lower chamber’s Racing and Wagering Committee.

The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA), which has been a vocal opponent in every state where sweeps-ban bills have been filed, previously released a statement on Addabbo’s bill:

“Albany legislators have no business dictating to New Yorkers what games they can play on their phones. This deeply flawed legislation is an affront to personal freedoms, an insult to New York voters, and a colossal waste of government resources. As constructed, the bill could criminalize promotional sweepstakes used by small businesses in New York, risking millions in revenue for local shops and restaurants and threatening thousands of jobs in an already fragile economic climate.”

Addabbo, meanwhile, has been a vocal proponent for the legalization of regulated iGaming in New York for multiple sessions now. For 2025, Sen. Addabbo introduced S2614, which was also referred to the Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee but has not yet garnered any forward traction.