What's happening
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to allow gambling on professional and college sports events in New York at specific venues, with proceeds supporting education.
Why it matters
Expands legal gambling options. By allowing betting on both professional and college sports, the amendment would significantly broaden the scope of legal gambling in New York, potentially attracting new participants and increasing overall gambling activity.
Targets venue-specific gambling. The amendment specifies that sports wagering could occur at racetracks, off-track betting simulcast theaters, mobile platforms, and constitutionally authorized casinos. This could drive traffic and economic activity to these venues, possibly helping struggling tracks and casinos.
Designates proceeds for education. Requiring that the net proceeds from sports betting be funneled exclusively to educational support could provide a new, potentially substantial revenue stream for schools and educational programs, but also ties the state's educational funding more closely to gambling revenue.
Constitutional protection and legislative oversight. By embedding these changes in the state constitution, the amendment would make it more difficult for future lawmakers to restrict or undo sports betting, while still requiring the legislature to enact laws to regulate and prevent abuses related to the expanded gambling.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Legalize Sports and College Betting
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Opinion referred to judiciary
- To attorney-general for opinion
- Referred to judiciary
- Opinion referred to judiciary
- To attorney-general for opinion
- Referred to judiciary
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1490
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
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 Assembly 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, on mobile platforms, 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
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD89082-01-9
S. 1490 2
pass appropriate laws to prevent offenses against any of the provisions of this section.
§ 2. Resolved (if the Assembly 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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to section 9 of article 1 of the constitution, in relation to authoriz- ing gambling on professional sporting events and athletic events spon- sored by universities or colleges
Summary of specific provisions
Article 1, Section 9 of the State Constitution would be amended to allow for an additional exception to the prohibition on all gambling authoriz- ing wagering on professional and collegiate sporting events at betting facilities located at horse racing tracks, simulcast theaters operated by off-track betting corporations, on mobile platforms, 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.
Existing law
Article 1, Section 9 of the State Constitution generally proscribes an gambling except for four exceptions. These four exceptions are: (1) pari-mutuel wagering on horse. racing; (2) State lotteries; (3) bingo conducted by certain charitable, non-profit and religious organizations; and (4) aames of chance conducted by these same charitable, non-profit, and religious organizations.
Read the full memo (615 words)
Justification
Legalizing professional sports betting in New York would be an opportu- nity to diminish. a serious organized crime enterprise and provide crit- ical funds for education.
According to the New York State District Attorney's Offices in both Kings and Queens Counties, illegal sports betting generates more than $380 billion a year nationwide, and approximately $38 billion a year in New York City alone. While our law enforcement agencies do their best to stop this criminal industry, en extremely lucrative criminal enterprise for organized crime and one that has grown steadily over the past 3 decades. State regulation of professional sports betting would dras- tically reduce profits for organized crime as was the intent of the New York State Legislature in 1982 when it sought to achieve similar goals in creating Off-Track Betting. In addition, strong gaming control regu- lations would help to abate any concerns regarding game fixing and other potential abuses.
Furthermore, if the state were to legalize and regulate this industry it would provide a tremendous source of revenue that could be used to provide much needed funding for various services, such as education. One estimate from The Partnership for New York City, suggests the city of New York could receive as much as $1.9 billion a year in revenue if professional sports gambling were permitted in the current locations where gambling in authorized in the state. This amount would then increase with the recently proposed casino facilities.
Finally, the thrust of this legislation is regulation, not promotion. While there are legitimate concerns related to the social challenges that arise from problem gambling, this activity already exists on a nationwide level and certainly within this state. The illegal organiza- tions that are unlawfully benefitting from this industry are certainly not concerned with addressing these challenges and instead benefit from them. If New York were to allow professional and collegiate sports betting the money received by the state could be used to support educa- tion related programs that are designed to address these social chal- lenges as well as providing much needed revenue to support education in general.
Prior legislative history
2017:S1282A - REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
2018:S1282A - REFFERED TO JUDICIARY
Fiscal implications
Significant revenue potential for the state.
Effective date
If agreed by the Senate and the Assembly, the amendment will be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in conform- ity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.