New York iGaming Bill Dead Again in 2026

⏱ 3 min read

New York's 2026 iGaming bill is dead. Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. confirmed on May 28, 2026 that he has abandoned Senate Bill S2614 for this legislative session after concluding that Governor Kathy Hochul would refuse to sign it — even if it cleared both chambers. The state legislature closed on June 4, and the bill never reached a floor vote.

The collapse marks the fifth consecutive year New York has failed to legalize online casino gaming, leaving the country's most populous state on the sidelines of a regulated iGaming market worth billions. Neighboring states New Jersey and Pennsylvania combined for more than $3.5 billion in iGaming revenue in 2023 alone — with Pennsylvania's online market hitting $3.46 billion in 2025, surpassing its own commercial land-based casinos for the first time. New York generates none of that for its treasury.

---

What Happened to S2614

Addabbo introduced S2614 on January 7, 2026 — his fourth straight year filing iGaming legislation — alongside a companion Assembly bill, A6027, sponsored by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner. The proposal would have permitted licensed operators to offer real-money slots, table games, poker, and live dealer products to New York residents through regulated digital platforms.

Key terms of the bill included:

• A 30.5% tax rate on gross iGaming revenue — above New Jersey but in line with Pennsylvania
• Revenue directed primarily to the state education fund, with a guaranteed $25 million per year minimum for worker training and responsible gaming
• One interactive gaming license per eligible operator, with servers required to be housed at licensed New York gaming facilities
• Eligibility extended to commercial casinos, video lottery facilities, tribal operators, and existing mobile sportsbooks

Addabbo stated publicly that he believed the bill had the votes to pass both the Senate and the Assembly — but that those votes were irrelevant without executive backing. His read of Hochul's position: the governor "would probably not sign it."

---

The Hochul Factor

Governor Hochul maintained public silence on iGaming throughout the 2026 session. Her office declined to signal support or opposition, and the bill was left out of the state budget — the clearest legislative vehicle for major policy. Without a budget line and without a gubernatorial champion, the legislation stalled in committee.

The governor's record on gambling is mixed. She signed a sweepstakes casino ban in December 2025, effectively clearing unregulated competitors out of the New York market — a move Addabbo framed as groundwork for regulated iGaming. She also backed the creation of a gambling mental health institute and pushed to stop minors from accessing online sports betting. But none of that enthusiasm extended to iGaming authorization.

The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC), representing casino floor workers, has opposed every iGaming bill since 2022, citing risks of job losses and reduced foot traffic at brick-and-mortar casinos. Labor opposition has been the persistent backstop blocking legislative progress even when lawmakers found common ground on tax rates and licensing structures.

---

The Revenue Cost of Inaction

The fiscal argument for iGaming in New York is substantial. Addabbo has repeatedly cited the example of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which together generated approximately $1 billion in tax revenue from iGaming in 2023. The American Gaming Association's State of the States 2026 report noted that Pennsylvania's online casino revenue surpassed its land-based commercial casino revenue for the first time in 2025 — a structural shift that advocates say illustrates how far the legal market has matured.

Meanwhile, the illegal and offshore market is absorbing demand that New York's inaction leaves unserved. An AGA analysis published in August 2025 found that illegal and unregulated gambling operators — including offshore iGaming sites — generate an estimated $53.9 billion in annual revenue nationally, depriving states of $15.3 billion in tax revenue per year. Illegal online casino betting surged 38% since 2022, and the share of iGamers using only legal platforms fell from 52% to just 24% over the same period.

---

NY vs. Regulated Neighbors: iGaming Market Snapshot

State	iGaming Status	Tax Rate	2025 Online Revenue (Est.)	Launch Year
New Jersey	Legal & active	15% (+ 2.5% to Atlantic City)	~$2.3B	2013
Pennsylvania	Legal & active	54% (slots) / 16% (table games)	$3.46B	2019
Connecticut	Legal & active	18%	Est. $500M+	2021
Michigan	Legal & active (15 operators)	20–28%	Est. $800M+	2021
New York	Not legal	30.5% (proposed, S2614)	$0 regulated	N/A
Maine	Legalised 2025 — launching 2026	TBD	Pre-launch	2026

---

What Happens Next

Addabbo has not walked away from the issue. He is expected to reintroduce iGaming legislation in the 2027 session, which opens in January. Whether the political landscape shifts depends largely on Hochul's appetite ahead of her re-election campaign, where she is currently considered a strong favourite.

If a bill does pass in 2027, industry analysts estimate the New York State Gaming Commission would need six to twelve months to draft regulations, open licensing windows, certify platforms, and complete background checks — putting any realistic launch date at late 2027 at the earliest, and more likely 2028. Three new downstate casino properties — Bally's Bronx, Hard Rock Metropolitan Park, and Resorts World NYC, awarded licenses in December 2025 — may carry enough political weight to shift the labor calculus in future sessions, as each has a stake in the digital extension of their brands.

For players and operators watching New York, the message from Albany is unchanged: the market is there, the demand is there, and the tax revenue is flowing to neighbouring states. The politics are not there yet.

---

Sources

Primary and secondary sources used in the reporting of this article, checked across multiple outlets.

My priority is to ensure safety, prevent problem gambling, generate much needed, significant revenue, and keep New York competitive with surrounding states.

— Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr., Chair, NY Senate Racing, Gaming & Wagering Committee · Statement on S2614, January 2026