A New York Senate committee has approved a bill that expands legal prop betting in the state.
Sen. Joseph Addabbo’s Senate Bill 2616 would amend state laws to legalize both in-game and season-long prop bets, coin toss wagers and bets on future team and individual winners such as MVP awards or the Heisman Trophy for best college football player.
The Senate Finance Committee unanimously passed the bill on Tuesday. It would still need to pass in the full chamber, gain approval in the House and be ratified by Gov. Kathy Hochul for the changes to take effect.
As with all betting in the state, the New York State Gaming Commission would have the right to determine whether any bets under those new categories pose integrity risks.
New York is currently one of several U.S. states that limits prop betting.
A range of states do not allow college player prop bets and others including Louisiana, Ohio and Maryland banned the markets last year amid a drive from NCAA President Charlie Baker to urge states to do so. New York’s neighbor New Jersey introduced a bill late last year to scrap college props.
The Empire State is also one of a few legal online sports betting markets that currently does not offer betting on sporting awards.
New York follows record year with record month
New York’s sports betting market keeps smashing records.
It posted the biggest year of sports betting activity, operator revenue and tax revenue of any state in U.S. history in 2024, with $22.6 billion wagered, more than $2 billion made by sportsbooks and more than $1 billion in state tax revenue.
New York followed that by reporting its biggest single month ever in January 2025, with nearly $2.5 billion in handle and $247 million in GGR.
Addabbo also pushing for online casino
Like several states early in 2025, New York is also pushing to legalize online casino.
Addabbo is leading the charge, with S2614 introducing language that is virtually identical to last year’s effort to introduce iGaming. The four downstate casinos and the forthcoming upstate casinos, as well as tribal casinos, VLT parlors and online sports betting operators would all be eligible to obtain an online casino license. There would also be three licenses up for grabs via a competitive bidding process.
Last year’s online casino effort picked up little to no traction. S2614 was referred to the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee on Jan. 21.
