The New York sports betting industry stands as the biggest legal sports wagering market in the U.S. The Empire State takes more sports bets per month than any other U.S. state.
This comprehensive guide to New York sports betting apps includes links that you can use to sign up and claim welcome bonuses at New York online sportsbooks.
Key Points On New York Sports Betting
- New York legal online gambling verticals – Online sports betting, daily fantasy sports (DFS), New York Lottery
- New York online gambling revenue tax rates – 51% for online sports betting; 10% for retail sportsbooks
- New York available online sports betting licenses – 9
- New York college sports wagering policy – Legal when betting on out-of-state schools
- New York sports betting legalization and launch dates – Preapproved in 2013; legalized in April 2021; launched in Jan. 2021
- New York gaming regulation agency – New York State Gaming Commission
Sports gambling and lotteries are the only legal forms of online gambling in New York. The former passed a 2013 voter referendum with 57% of the vote. However, New York online sportsbooks didn’t launch until January 2022—eight years after the Gaming Economic Development Act passed.
The wait has been worth the while for state coffers. Albany receives a 51% cut of GGR, which is tied with New Hampshire for the country’s highest tax rate. New York online sports betting sites are collectively hauling in more revenue than in any other state too.
How Does Online Sports Betting In New York Work?
Internet sports betting has always been a question of when, not if, for the Empire State. Voters approved sports gambling in 2013—long before other states. However, New York needed to wait for the federal ban to fall, which happened in 2018.
Unfortunately, lawmakers didn’t act quickly after the Supreme Court repealed PASPA. They spent the next three years debating the framework for New York legal online sports betting. The legislature finally agreed in April 2021, which officially legalized NY mobile sportsbooks.
Navigating New York Online Sportsbooks
New York features standard internet sports betting rules from a gambler’s standpoint. You must be 21 years or older and within state boundaries before depositing and betting.
However, you don’t have to be in the Empire State when signing up. If you’ll be visiting New York, you can register at an online sportsbook before leaving for the trip. Speaking of signing up, you can do so at any NY betting site through the following steps:
- Select the register/join button on a sportsbook’s homepage.
- Fill in the required blanks (e.g. name, address, birth date, phone number).
- Agree to the terms and conditions.
- Upload any required documentation for verification (not always required immediately).
After completing registration, you can proceed to the deposit process. Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, PayNearMe, and bank transfers are common NY deposit methods. You already have plenty of options to choose from when deciding where to deposit. New York online sportsbooks are up and running, including the following:
- BetMGM
- BetRivers
- Caesars
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- Fanatics
- Resorts World BET
- WynnBET
This market allows for a total of nine betting sites. Each operator must pay a one-time $25 million license fee on top of a 51% tax rate. A NY online betting license is good for 10 years.
New York online sports betting sites can accept wagers on a wide variety of markets. When it comes to college sports gambling, though, they can only take bets on out-of-state teams. Instate teams, meanwhile, are off the table.
NY Retail Sportsbooks
Lawmakers proposed the Gaming Economic Development Act of 2013 with unbuilt, upstate casinos in mind. They wanted to clear the way for new land-based casinos to offer sports betting when the time came.
57% of the state voted in favor of the economic development bill. The upstate casinos opened their doors five years later, which was just in time for PASPA’s repeal. Rivers Sportsbook (Rivers Casino in Schenectady) became the first New York retail sportsbook to accept wagers on July 16, 2019.
You can see the full list of currently active NY retail sportsbooks below:
- Bet365 at Resorts World Catskills (Monticello)
- Betfair and FanDuel at Tioga Downs (Nichols)
- Caesars at Point Place Casino (Bridgeport), Turning Stone Resort (Verona), and Yellow Brick Road Casino (Chittenago)
- FOX Bet at Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort (Hogansburg)
- DraftKings at Del Lago Resort & Casino (Waterloo)
- Kambi and Rush Street at Rivers Casino (Schenectady)
The problem with New York retail sportsbooks is that most are located 2+ hours away from NYC. Many New Yorkers live within the NYC metropolitan area and prefer to make bets locally. Legal online sports betting has solved this problem and made wagering more convenient for the entire state. It has also kept New Yorkers from pouring over the New Jersey border to place mobile bets.
How Do I Know That Online Sports Betting Sites In New York Are Fair?
The New York State Gaming Commission oversees NY online sports betting. It also governs over the following types of gambling:
- Casinos
- Charitable gaming
- Horse racing
- Lottery (both land-based and online)
- Video lottery terminals.
In February 2013, the New York Lottery and Racing and Wagering Board merged to become the NYS Gaming Commission. The latter has since presided over all forms of land-based and online gambling in New York.
The NYS Gaming Commission received applications from prospective New York online sportsbooks in 2021. It reviewed bids and selected the following applicants to serve the state:
New York Online Sports Betting Sites
- BetRivers/Rush Street
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- Fanatics
- Resorts World BET
- WynnBET
Each NY mobile sportsbook has passed a strict vetting process. They had to submit an application to the gaming commission, provide proposals, undergo interviews, and pass background checks. All approved New York betting sites also had to pay a $25 million license fee. They currently cover a 51% tax rate as well.
The Empire State’s market isn’t for the faint of heart. Each applicant went through a grueling process and shelled out a fortune in fees. Some of the industry’s biggest brands, including Bet365 and Barstool, didn’t even get a license.
In short, you can trust New York online sportsbooks because they’ve made a significant commitment. None of these operators want to jeopardize their $25 million license by failing customers. Each betting site must look out for potential problem gamblers and make timely payouts to bettors.
Withdrawal methods vary based on the operator. Generally speaking, though, you can use plenty of cashout options in the New York legal online sports betting market. Common withdrawal methods across the market include:
- ACH (eCheck)
- Bank transfer
- Cash (at land-based casino partners)
- MasterCard
- PayNearMe
- PayPal
- Play+ Card
- Skrill
- Visa
You won’t find all of these banking methods at every NY internet sportsbook. However, you’ll be able to get payments through the majority of these cashout options at each betting site.
NY sportsbooks require you to submit documentation (often during registration) before issuing payment. You’ll need to supply your driver’s license and any other requested documents. Upon completing these steps, you can request withdrawals from the relevant mobile sportsbook.
Yes, you can bet on college sports in the Empire State. The catch, though, is that you can only wager on schools from out of state. The NYS Gaming Commission doesn’t allow betting sites to accept wagers on in-state teams. Therefore, you can’t wager on schools like Army, Fordham, St. Johns, St. Bonaventure, and Syracuse within NY.
Esports betting is in a gray area right now in the New York market. It’s not technically illegal, but it isn’t fully legal either. NY betting apps won’t be accepting esports wagers until the state gaming commission sorts the matter out. The NYS Gaming Commission needs to determine what type of esports events it’ll allow for betting purposes. After all, some of the pro players are under 18 years old.
Yes, every New York online sportsbook that’s launched so far offers an app. Nine betting apps are available for both Android and iOS users. Some NY mobile sportsbooks also offer in-browser betting (a.k.a. instant play). In this case, you can register, deposit, and bet through an internet browser without downloading anything.
Any operator that has obtained licensing from the NYS Gaming Commission can operate in this state. Nine online operators hold a license, including Bally Bet, BetRivers, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, Resorts World, and WynnBet. Any betting site outside of this group that offers mobile sports betting to New Yorkers is illegal. You should avoid such sites because they’re not regulated by the New York State Gaming Commission.