New York – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations

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Residents of the Empire State are able to access overseas online casinos, as the responsibility lies on the government to block such sites. Governments tend not to be equipped to handle this task, meaning that there is simply not much stopping players from gaining access. An unregulated market does have the side-effect of attracting illegitimate operations though, so you need to be confident in being able to identify a legitimate and worthwhile site. Most online casinos are licensed in overseas jurisdictions, which does go some way in showing their legitimacy. Simply asking yourself a few questions before registering any information is a great start to minimizing the potential risks that are involved with accessing online casinos from restricted regions.

• Is the casino licensed?
• What are the main policies of the site’s licensing authority?
• Will you be able to register from New York?
• Are your preferred payment methods supported?
• Will you be eligible for any offers or loyalty programs?

Check out our casino reviews here at GoodLuckMate to get a concise and unbiased summary of various individual casinos. Our reviews look at the features and efficacy of individual casinos, so that you can get a strong impression of the operation, allowing you to make up your own mind. We therefore strongly recommend you take a look at our reviews before registering with a site.

Gambling Regulation

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 is what first allowed casinos to establish themselves in New York. Legal sports betting came into being thanks to a legal dissolution that allowed individual states to set out their own sports betting legislation. This lead to several states, New York included, to open up retail betting stores and venues. Local casinos are now also equipped to handle sports betting, however, the online sector remains in a gray-zone. While there are no local operations permitted to handle online betting, overseas operations are still widely available due to them not being blocked by the government. While these sites are not able to legally provide their services to New York residents, they are authorized to operate within their licensing body’s jurisdiction. These are therefore not criminal organizations but are instead legitimate casinos operating in a relative gray-market.

Localized Online Casinos

Despite the lack of authority to present themselves to New York residents, the vast majority of online casinos are already equipped to take in customers from around the US. Most sites use English as a default language and those that offer up sportsbook platforms are more than willing to heavily market big US events like the Superbowl or the NBA. New York is in a unique position, due to the cultural significance of New York City, which does carry over its influences to various casino’s themes and concepts. The fact that neighboring states like New Jersey have a fully regulated market also allows casinos to specifically market towards those local demographics, which only helps to provide further localization options like payment methods for instance.

Gambling with US Dollars

US dollars are incredibly common at online casinos from around the world. The currency serves as a default option for many operations, acting as a substitute currency for players whose local currency can not be supported for one reason or another. This means that you will have little to no trouble in finding a site that allows you to deposit and play with US dollars. The available payment methods usually include a variety of payment cards, e-wallets and bank transfer options. E-wallets have proven themselves a time tested favorite with many players, as they provide a quick and easy method of sending and receiving payments online. Cryptocurrencies have also recently exploded onto the scene, attracting many players to using them instead of traditional currencies.

Casinos in New York

Seven tribal casinos now exist in New York state alongside numerous gambling halls and sports betting venues. One such venue is the Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway, which facilitates horse race betting and casino action with over 5,000 slots and other machines. There is also the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino, which is one of the seven tribal locations that is being operated by one of the three tribes running casinos in the state.

All of the physical evidence points towards New York being a bustling place for gambling, which it is for the most part. It is just when you venture online that you soon discover that activities are much more restricted. While other states have made big strides towards providing a fully regulated market, others have instead made a start on opening up legal online sportsbook operations. New York on the other hand has not shown much progress in either regard. There was some hope prior to the 2020 budget that there would be some online or mobile gambling revenues factored in, however, this did not end up being the case. There is therefore nothing concrete to suggest that any changes will come to the state in the near future.