Skip to content
A3963Assembly2019-2020 Session

Legalize College Sports Betting

Official title

“Authorizes gambling on professional sporting events and athletic events sponsored by universities or colleges”

Sponsor David WeprinAD-24Affects Legal
Status
In Assembly Committee
Judiciary
Impact
7/10
Significant
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Judiciary

What's happening

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to allow wagering on professional and college sports at certain betting facilities in New York.

Why it matters

  1. Could significantly expand legal gambling options in New York by allowing betting on both professional and college sports, which is currently restricted by the state constitution. This means New Yorkers could soon legally wager on a much broader range of sporting events.

  2. Limits new sports wagering to specific venues—thoroughbred and harness racetracks, off-track betting simulcast theaters, and constitutionally authorized casinos. This could boost business and tax revenue for these facilities, but keeps betting out of online and other non-approved spaces.

  3. Directs that all net proceeds from this new form of sports betting go exclusively toward supporting education in New York. This is intended to provide a clear public benefit and could mean additional funding for schools from gambling revenues.

  4. Represents a shift in state policy on gambling, requiring a constitutional amendment. This underlines the significance of the change and would require approval not just by the legislature, but also by voters in a statewide referendum, giving the public a direct say in the matter.

The daily · weekday mornings

Albany, before your first meeting.

Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.

Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.

Who cares

  • Thoroughbred and harness racetrack operators

    The proposed constitutional amendment would allow wagering on professional and college-sponsored sporting events at betting facilities at operating New York racetracks, as prescribed by the Legislature.

  • Off-track betting corporations

    Their simulcast theaters would be eligible locations for sports wagering under the proposed amendment.

  • Casino operators

    Constitutionally authorized casino facilities would be eligible to offer wagering on professional and college-sponsored sporting events.

  • Likely support

    Education advocates

    The amendment would require net proceeds from the newly authorized wagering to support education in New York, as prescribed by the Legislature.

Headline styles

Legalize College Sports Betting

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
David Weprin

Assembly Member · Assembly District 24

Chair, Insurance

No co-sponsors yet.

History

  1. Opinion referred to judiciary
  2. To attorney-general for opinion
  3. Referred to racing and wagering
  4. Opinion referred to judiciary
  5. To attorney-general for opinion
  6. Referred to racing and wagering

Full text

2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

3963

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

January 31, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Racing and Wagering

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to section 9 of article 1 of the constitution, in relation to authorizing gambling on professional sporting events and athletic events sponsored by universities or colleges

Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That subdivision 1 of section 9 of article 1 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:

1. No law shall be passed abridging the rights of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government, or any department thereof; nor shall any divorce be granted otherwise than by due judicial proceedings; except as hereinafter provided, no lottery or the sale of lottery tickets, pool-selling, book-making, or any other kind of gambling, except lotteries operated by the state and the sale of lottery tickets in connection therewith as may be authorized and prescribed by the legislature, the net proceeds of which shall be applied exclusively to or in aid or support of education in this state as the legislature may prescribe, except pari-mutuel betting on horse races as may be prescribed by the legislature and from which the state shall derive a reasonable revenue for the support of government, and except casino gambling at no more than seven facilities as authorized and prescribed by the legislature shall hereafter be authorized or allowed within this state; and except wagering on professional sporting events and athletic events sponsored by universities or colleges at betting facilities located at thoroughbred and harness racetracks operating in this state, in simulcast theaters operated by off-track betting corporations and in any constitutionally authorized casino facility, as may be prescribed by the legislature, the net proceeds of which shall be applied exclusively to or in aid or support of education in this state as the legislature may prescribe, and the legislature shall pass appropriate laws to prevent offenses against any of the provisions of this section.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD89082-02-9

A. 3963 2

§ 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendment be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.