Americans are big fans of sports betting and many people in the US routinely bet on American football, basketball, ice hockey and baseball. It comes as no surprise that many of them are frustrated by the numerous restrictions erected at both state and federal levels. There are plenty of states where all forms of gambling are forbidden and betting on sports can’t be done in complete accord with the law. New York is one of the liberal states, so it was only natural for lawmakers to show more flexibility towards gambling.
What types of sports betting are legal in New York?
New York City residents can bet on fantasy sports, as well as horse and greyhound races. These are all popular events, but in recent years, the vast majority of online punters prefer betting on the MLB, NHL, MLS, NFL and the NBA. Soccer is also a popular sport in the United States and New York City has two strong teams, so punters would fancy betting on them. At the time of writing, sports betting is only legal at land-based casinos, with punters having to choose from a few worthy options.
In recent years, the growing popularity of online sports betting & casino gaming has caught the eye of lawmakers and progress was made in this direction. The efforts to legalize all forms of online gambling including, online casino, slots, poker & sports betting are there but at least for the time being, they did not lead to the desired results. This means that no matter how exciting and convenient online casino & sports betting might be, it is not possible to go online and place a bet. There’s a good chance for this to change in the upcoming years, as progress is made with each sports betting bill.
What options to New Yorkers have?
New York City is still trailing Las Vegas in regard to the freedom given to gamblers, but it is one of the more progressive cities in the US. Fantasy sports are thriving and the vast majority of those who bet on daily fantasy are anxiously waiting for a chance to bet on the reels sports. Greyhound and horse racing continue to be popular in New York, with several websites allowing online betting. They have the platforms needed to make the transition to other sports, as soon as the law allows it.
At a national level, the aforesaid forms of gaming are also legal and they have been so for quite a while, as they are featured as exemptions in the UIGEA. Even though states have the possibility to forbid these forms of gaming, few chose to exercise this right and New York isn’t among them. Sports betting has been legal here since 2013 and the Supreme Court has paved the way for further changes. New Yorkers love online sports betting and their lawmakers are going to act on this desire in the years to come.
The bottom line is that even though online sports betting is yet to be officially legalized in New York City, the future looks particularly bright.
