New York doesn’t have any state-licensed casino sites where real money gambling activities are legally permitted.
Instead, there are a handful of legally permitted social casino websites, also known as sweepstakes casinos. Also, there are countless online casinos that aim their business towards New York residents and operate from outside of NY and US jurisdictions, known as ‘offshore casinos.’
New York State Senator Joe Abbado introduced an Interactive Gaming Bill to allow/authorise websites offering real money online casino gambling services, which means that up to 24 applicants could soon be issued licenses to operate online casinos legally within New York.
The state also recently allowed online sportsbooks, meaning it’s now possible to bet on the world’s biggest sporting events at nine websites, all of which are fully licensed and regulated by the New York State Gaming Commission (NYS Gaming Commission).
Here’s everything you need to know about online gambling in the state of New York.
Can I play at online casinos in New York?
Yes and no. Anyone in New York aged 21 or above can play at online casinos (offshore casinos) because there are currently no laws that prevent them from playing on sites like this that operate outside of US jurisdiction.
However, not all of these websites can be trusted. For example, some of the worst casino sites that NY residents must avoid at all costs are ones that are completely unlicensed, unregulated, or licensed by what industry leaders/experts regard as bottom-tier or rubber-stamp licensing authorities.
According to reports, regular online casinos offering real money gambling services will become available in mid to late 2025.
In the meantime, anyone living in New York who wants to play slots and other casino games online is better off playing on state-licensed sweepstakes casinos, where no gambling is involved, or placing sports bets on any of the nine legally permitted NY online sports betting websites.
How successful has the online betting industry been in New York since the first state-licensed site launched?
Since the first NYS Gaming Commission-licensed online sports betting website launched in January 2022, several others have followed.
Ever since that day, sports betting in New York has represented a very lucrative and successful industry, showing year-on-year revenue growth with no signs of slowing down.
People living in New York can sign up to a handful of perfectly secure online sports betting sites to place bets on over 25 major sports disciplines. There are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of monthly betting markets with highly competitive odds.
The NYS Gaming Commission upholds high standards and imposes strict controls over its licensees, carrying out rigorous background checks and conducting in-depth investigations into an applicant before issuing them with a license to operate a real money gambling website business within the state.
What makes a good NY online sports betting site?
Today’s most trusted NY online sportsbooks rank among the safest sites in the world. They are owned and operated by legitimate companies, and fully comply with local/standard international data protection and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policies.
Each platform has 128-bit or higher cryptographic encryption deployed to protect anyone who signs up to take advantage of their sports betting services, meaning players’ accounts are always in safe hands.
Therefore, cybercriminals cannot gain access to your money, personal information, or preferred payment method details or hijack your transactions. In short, there is no safer place to play, and it means that New Yorkers no longer have to play on offshore sites that may not be so trustworthy.
The player support on these sites is of an extremely high standard; with friendly/professionally trained support agents who are on standby 24/7 demonstrates excellent customer service.
These sites are free to join. They accept a range of popular US online payment methods for secure deposits and withdrawals. The websites are easy to navigate, modern & intuitive, and most of them have a mobile application option for iOS and smartphone devices.
So far, all of the NY-licensed online sportsbooks have overwhelmingly positive reviews and excellent player feedback. They provide top-notch security and are committed to responsible gambling, offering a range of tools to ensure players remain well within their budgets.
Final thoughts
Anyone who lives in New York who wishes to play feature-rich, computer-generated online slot machines or classic table and card games from their preferred Wi-Fi/internet-connected PC or mobile device should stick to legally permitted social casinos and if they want to place sports bets, stick to state-licensed online bookmakers.
These popular digital entertainment websites welcome a range of secure US online payment methods for quick and easy deposits and withdrawals, and many of them also now accept one or more cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Tether, Ripple, Litecoin, DogeCoin, and Ethereum.
They are free to join, and the registration process usually takes less than a minute to complete. Sweepstakes casinos are the safer alternative to regular online casinos, and they usually have some kind of generous new player welcome bonus for all new members.
When signing up anywhere, be prepared to send in proof of ID and address documents as part of the standard KYC (Know Your Customer) account verification process, and always take the time to read through the terms and conditions when accepting any promotional offers.
