New York Senate passes online sweepstakes casino ban
A bill to ban online sweepstakes gaming in New York has passed in the state’s Senate. However, the House companion bill remains in committee.
Senate Bill S5935A, introduced by Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr., was approved 57-2. If also passed in the House and signed by the governor, it will ban dual-currency sweepstakes gaming.
“They’ve been targeting minors and have been allowing people to game illegally. We’re taking a good step to avoid that,” Addabbo Jr. said during the vote.
Unlike real-money igaming casinos, sweepstakes casinos use a virtual coin-based system, which players can buy and, if they win enough, exchange for prizes.
“Until we legalize online gaming in New York, we do not want the illegal market to expand, to grow, to target minors or those that have problems. The fines that will be issued will go right to problem gaming programs,” Addabbo Jr. added.
The bill sets fines of a minimum of US$10,000 or a maximum of US$100,000 for any organization offering sweepstakes casino games.
Montana became the first state to outlaw social casinos and received backlash from the Social and Promotional Games Association.
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Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
