New York patiently awaits.
As bettors prepare for the New York online sports betting application process to be revealed by Thursday and presented by the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), one state senator who helped spearhead sports betting to this point is optimistic.
“This takes time. I expect we will have rules in place by Thursday for the application process to begin and continue to move forward, with the expectation to get up and running in time for this year’s Super Bowl,” Sen. Joseph Addabbo, chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee, told EmpireStakes.com on Monday. “I spoke with Rob Williams (executive director of the NYSG) about three weeks ago and they are on track to meet the deadline. We shall see when it comes out.”
The application process for providers of online gambling in New York can begin with the RFA (request for applications), then a 30-day period for applications to come in and a 150-day period to select a provider.
On June 3, the NYSGC provided a second round (first was in late April) of answers to give some clarity on questions relating to the new legislation. It provided an update to six more questions in categories posted on the commission's website including:
- The Mobile Sports Wagering Platform Provider and Commercial Casino Relationship;
- The Request for Application Process;
- Tribal Gaming Considerations;
- Tax Rate and Fee Considerations;
- Licensing Matters;
- Mobile Sports Operation.
Competitive Bidding Process
Online sports betting was included in the fiscal budget that was finalized on April 7.
Sports betting providers will be chosen through a competitive bidding process based upon certain scoring methods to balance revenue to the state. The state’s Gaming Commission will determine the best platforms and operators for New York long term.
The proposal authorizes the state’s Gaming Commission to solicit bids from interested platforms — a minimum of two — and operators — a minimum of four. Platforms that opt to partner with a Native American tribe or nation will be given additional points in the bidding/scoring process.
Four sports betting platforms currently have brick-and-mortar sportsbooks at four up-state casinos: DraftKings NY Sportsbook (Del Lago), FanDuel NY Sportsbook (Tioga Downs), Bet365 NY (Empire Resorts) and New York BetRivers (Rivers Casino) and like to be considered the front-runners for mobile sports betting. But no decisions have been made prior to the application process and those casino agreements likely won’t factor into the selection process.
