New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. has once again filed a bill seeking to legalize online poker for the state. In what amounts to a last-gasp effort for 2024 approval, Sen. Addabbo introduced Senate Bill 9226 (SB9226) on Tuesday. The bill is a standalone measure, seeking to legalize and regulate online poker only, in contrast to other recent New York bills that sought approval of a complete suite of casino-style online gambling.
The bill already has a companion bill in NY State Assemblyman Gary Pretlow's 2023-A01380 measure, which has been modified from its earlier form to become a matching poker-only bill.
As is typically the case in New York, online poker's approval would require an uphill climb amid a short legislative window. New York's current two-year, 2023-24 legislative session ends on June 6, leaving an online-poker bill only four weeks to pass both of New York's legislative houses before moving on to NY Governor Kathy Hochul's desk for possible signing.
Hochul cool on online gambling in the past
Despite New York State's perennial budget shortfalls, however, Gov. Hochul has shown little interest to date in embracing online gambling expansion. Earlier this year, Hochul omitted online gambling's inclusion as a source of revenue for the state in her since-approved budget for the 2025 fiscal year.
Hochul's cold shoulder ended lobbying efforts for the earlier bills being considered in January, including the full casino-gaming version of Pretlow's bill and matching legislation from Addabbo. Addabbo, who cited opposition from brick-and-mortar casino unions as a factor in New York's cool response to date for online-gambling measures, nonetheless told Bonus.com two weeks ago that online gambling's approval, sooner or later, is "inevitable".
For the moment, Addabbo's new SB9226 bill has been assigned to New York's Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming And Wagering, which Addabbo also chairs. No hearings or votes have been scheduled as yet.
