Posted on: February 17, 2022, 11:17h.
Last updated on: February 17, 2022, 11:37h.
Yankee Stadium could have self-service standalone sports betting kiosks if a new piece of gaming legislation gains favor among New York state lawmakers.
New York Senate Bill 7536A seeks to allow licensed sportsbooks to partner with professional sports stadiums to place sports betting kiosks inside the facilities. The legislation unanimously passed the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee this week by a 7-0 vote.
SB7536A has since been moved to the Senate Finance Committee. Should it gain majority support there, the legislation would head to the chamber floor for consideration.
State Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) authored the legislation seeking to expand sports betting in New York. Current law limits retail sports wagering to upstate commercial and tribal casinos. Mobile wagering is also operational as of last month.
In-Stadium Availability
Addabbo says allowing stadiums to incorporate sports betting kiosks into their facilities makes sense. He argues that since mobile betting is already permitted inside the venues, providing potential gamblers in-person options without needing to download and register with an app simply appeases varying consumer preferences.
Addabbo’s sports betting expansion bill would additionally allow oddsmakers to take non-pari-mutuel action on horse races. The New York senator says the statute would provide a more comprehensive sports betting offering.
If someone on one of our apps can bet on the Nets, Knicks, and Rangers, and also horse racing at Saratoga [Race Course], it will give the New York consumer a better product,” Addabbo told Elite Sports NY.
As currently written, SB7536A would allow professional sports stadiums and arenas, as well as automobile racing facilities and thoroughbred horse racetracks, to house sports betting kiosks.
Venues predominantly used for high school or collegiate sports would be prohibited from the sports betting expansion.
Affiliate stadium agreements with licensed sportsbooks must be approved by the New York State Gaming Commission. Finally, Addabbo’s bill requires a six-month waiting period after SB7536A’s signing into law before in-stadium kiosks could begin operating.
The Yankees and other New York pro sports teams have expressed interest in bringing sports betting kiosks to their home stadiums.
Torrid Start
Legal sports betting in New York commenced in July of 2019, but sportsbooks were reserved for upstate casinos. Online operations — the preferred method of wagering in states that permit it — began only last month.
With oddsmakers now accepting action over the internet, New York’s gaming industry has quickly claimed the title of the largest sports betting state in the US. Nearly $2 billion was wagered on sports in the first 30 days of New York oddsmakers running online books.
New York’s stadiums are some of the most-attended venues in US pro sports. In pre-pandemic 2019, more than 3.3 million fans entered Yankee Stadium. Citi Field, home of the Mets, welcomed over 2.4 million fans.
The NBA New York Knicks embraced more than 779,000 fans. The New York Rangers catered to approximately 619,000 people, and the NBA Brooklyn Nets saw around 613,000 spectators.
