New York Casino & Gambling Guide

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David Cooper | January 3, 2023 | Updated on: September 26th, 2024

Top New York Casino and Gambling Guide New York state may not be one of the states that first come to mind when we think of gambling, but it is actually one of the most profitable gambling industries in the USA. Residents of the state of New York really seem to love their gambling. In fact, the state lottery in New York earns around $9 billion every year. New York also plays home to the most profitable slot-only casinos.

The state has seen a large expansion to the gambling industry since the end of 2013. The gambling-expansion permitted an additional seven casinos to be constructed. New York also permits several race tracks that regularly hold horse racing. Find out everything you need to know about the gambling scene in New York right here, on Casino US.

Online Gambling New York

Online gambling is not very welcome in New York. The only form of gambling online in New York that is fully regulated and legalized is off-track betting on horse racing. Daily Fantasy Sports are in a difficult spot at the moment.

In 2015, they were declared illegal, and all websites were ordered to cease operations in New York. However, the sites challenged the ruling, and the courts issued a stay on the original ruling. However, in November 2018, the New York Supreme Court decided Daily Fantasy Sports were not games of skill and thus should be considered illegal. The state of DFS has been confusing ever since.

As for other forms of online gambling, such as casinos, online sports betting, and online poker, none of these sites are regulated by New York. Some believe engaging in any of this online gambling is illegal. However, no one has been charged, and many New York residents enjoy safe online gambling at reputable casinos and sports betting sites.

Live Gambling in New York

While online gambling may not be all that welcome in New York, live gambling is hugely popular. The lottery in New York is one of the most profitable state lotteries. There are plenty of games available through lottery games, including various scratch cards and lotto tickets. There are several state lottery draws available, as well as interstate options lie Mega Millions and Powerball.

Best New York Gambling Guide

New York has four racetracks that offer horse racing regularly throughout the year. These venues offer off-track betting, slot machines, electronic table games, and video poker. There are also several other racetracks, but these offer very few horse racing events and rely mostly on the gambling games they offer.

As for casinos, there are plenty of choices in New York. The state has numerous tribal casinos in Upstate New York. There are also several commercial casinos, which were legalized in 2013. Casinos in New York can offer a wide variety of casino games, including slot machines, video poker, electronic table games, live poker, craps, blackjack, roulette, and other live table games.

Gambling Laws in New York

Gambling has been regulated in New York in some form since the late 1950s. The first form of legal gambling was horse racing, which was legalized in 1959. This was then followed in 1966 by allowing the lottery, with off-track betting being permitted in 1970. Tribal casinos were next, which were permitted in 1993, racinos in 2001, and commercial casinos in 2013.

The legal gambling age in 18, for the lottery and betting on horse racing. The minimum age to gamble at a casino is either 18 or 21. This depends on whether the casino serves alcohol or not. If alcohol is served, all gambler must be 21 or older.

Gambling History

New York has a rich history of gambling. The very first instances of recorded gambling took place all the way back in 1655. This is when a horse racing track opened in what is now known as Queens. Horse racing would go through phases of being legal, and in 1905, Belmont Park opened and has held races ever since.

The lottery would be legalized in 1966, when the state voted to permit it, with the motion passing with over a 60% majority. Tickets went on sale for the first time in 1967, and the lottery has since raised over $35 billion in funds for New York’s school system.

New York then legalized off-track betting, becoming the first state outside of Nevada to allow it. Over 100 betting shops would open throughout the state, and it became a big part of life in New York. These shops would thrive, until the expansion of casino games to race tracks, as well as regional casinos opening up. This would lead to the last of these Off-Track Betting shops closing in 2010.

Infamous History

New York is also quite famous when it comes to online gambling, due to one of the largest and most infamous online gambling busts in the world. In 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York issued indictments against the largest USA online poker websites, which were Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker, and PokerStars. This would lead to two of these websites shutting down, and ran PokerStars out of the US market.

In 2013, New York citizens voted to expand gambling by allowing seven commercial casinos to begin operating. All seven of these casinos have now opened, with Resorts World Catskills being the last of the seven. However, none of the new casinos has proved to be as profitable as they were expected to be.

New York Casino guide

New York Gambling FAQs

Is gambling legal in New York?

Yes, the state of New York is very welcoming to the gambling industry and is one of the most profitable lottery states.

What forms of gambling are legal in New York?

New York has very open laws regarding gambling. This means that almost all forms of gambling are permitted, including slot machines, betting on horse racing, off-track betting, roulette, blackjack, craps, various other table games, video poker, and the lottery.

What is the minimum gambling age in the state of New York?

In order to gamble online, players must be 18 to buy lottery tickets and bet on horse racing. The minimum age to gamble at casinos is also 18 unless the casino serves alcohol. In this case, the minimum age is 21.

What casino games are permitted at casinos in New York?

Pretty much anything you can play in Las Vegas; you can play at casinos in New York. The list of legal games includes slot machines, electronic table games, video poker, live poker, and many live table games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps, and more.

Are Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in New York?

This is a tough one, as the law has changed a few times. There was a court case that determined that they were not legal, but Daily Fantasy Sports sites appealed, and the ruling was paused. Then, it 2018, a new case determined that DFS were not games of skill and were thus illegal online gambling. Resolving the situation is still in progress.

Are casino sites legal in New York?

Casino sites are not regulated by the state of New York. Like most other states, there is nothing stopping residents from signing up with an off-shore casino site. Just make sure the off-shore site is licenced and regulated. Our list of recommended casino is an excellent place to start.