New York iGaming Bill S2614 Dies — Again

⏱ 3 min read

New York's fifth consecutive attempt to legalize online casino gaming is over. State Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. abandoned Senate Bill S2614 in late May after concluding that Governor Kathy Hochul would not sign it, even if it cleared both chambers before the legislature adjourned on June 4, 2026. The collapse blocks entry into what analysts project as a $3–4 billion annual GGR market — the largest untapped iGaming opportunity in the United States.

The defeat is the latest chapter in Albany's recurring legislative failure on a product New Yorkers already consume in volume. With the sweepstakes casino ban signed by Hochul in December 2025, the state has now eliminated one grey-market channel without opening a regulated alternative. The American Gaming Association estimates that unregulated offshore platforms nationally generate $53.9 billion in annual revenue, depriving states of more than $15 billion in tax income — a share of which flows directly from New York residents.

---

What S2614 Would Have Created

Addabbo's bill — formally titled An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in relation to interactive gaming — would have authorised licensed operators to offer real-money slots, table games, live dealer products, and online poker to adults across the state. Key provisions included:

• A proposed GGR tax rate of 30.5% — significantly below the state's 51% mobile sports betting rate — designed to make the market viable for operators.
• A $10 million licensing fee for independent platform contractors seeking to host branded casino products.
• A mandatory $25 million Employee Training and Safety Fund annually, included to neutralise opposition from the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, whose fears over brick-and-mortar job losses have repeatedly derailed earlier attempts.
• Companion Assembly Bill A6027, sponsored by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, which mirrored the Senate measure.

Addabbo stated publicly that he believed S2614 had the votes to pass both the Senate and Assembly, but withdrew rather than push a bill he was confident the governor would veto.

---

Why Hochul Blocked Progress

Governor Hochul never publicly opposed S2614, but her silence was definitive. Her January 2026 State of the State address contained no mention of online casino gaming or iGaming revenue — a signal widely read by Albany insiders as executive disinterest. Her office declined throughout the session to indicate whether she would sign such legislation. Hochul has instead focused her gambling agenda on consumer protection measures: she backed the sweepstakes casino ban and has championed the creation of a gambling mental health institute and restrictions on minors accessing sports betting platforms. That responsible-gambling emphasis has not extended to authorising a regulated iGaming market.

---

The Revenue Cost to New York

Addabbo's bill projected approximately $1 billion annually in tax revenue at the proposed 30.5% GGR rate. Each year without a regulated market is a year that revenue flows offshore or to neighbouring states. New Jersey residents can cross a state line — or open an app — to access legal platforms; New York's online sports betting framework, which nine licensed sportsbooks operate under a 51% tax rate, has demonstrated massive consumer appetite. The AGA's State of the States 2026 report confirmed that the national iGaming sector crossed $10.73 billion in GGR in 2025, growing 27.6% year-on-year across the seven states where it is legal.

---

How NY Compares to Legal iGaming States

State	2025 iGaming GGR	Tax Rate	Online Casinos Live
Pennsylvania	$3.46 billion	16–54% (game-type tiered)	Yes — since 2019
Michigan	~$3.0 billion	20–28% graduated	Yes — since 2021
New Jersey	~$2.8 billion	17.5% effective	Yes — since 2013
Connecticut	~$110 million	18%	Yes — since 2021
Maine	Launching 2026	TBD	Legalised 2026
New York	$0 (regulated)	N/A — no market	No — bill dead again

Pennsylvania and New Jersey recorded iGaming GGR surpassing their commercial land-based casino revenues for the first time in 2025, according to the AGA — a milestone that underscores just how large the digital channel has grown in states that moved a decade ahead of Albany.

---

What Happens Next

Addabbo confirmed he intends to reintroduce legislation in January 2027. Any bill passed in the 2027 session would still require six to twelve months of regulatory setup by the New York State Gaming Commission before platforms could legally launch — pushing a realistic live date to late 2027 or early 2028 at the earliest. The state's next budget cycle, beginning January 2027, is seen as the most credible vehicle: New York's online sports betting framework was embedded in the 2021 state budget, and a similar packaging strategy is the most likely path for iGaming.

For operators and bettors, the immediate reality is unchanged: there are no licensed online casino platforms in New York. Offshore and unregulated platforms continue to serve the market without consumer protections, fund segregation requirements, or geolocation compliance.

---

Sources

This article draws on legislative records, a primary AGA industry report, and multiple specialist news outlets covering the Albany session and US iGaming market data.

We are leaving money on the table every single day. New Yorkers are already playing — just on unregulated, offshore sites that offer no consumer protection and pay zero tax to the state.

— Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr., Chair, NY Senate Racing, Gaming & Wagering Committee · Press release accompanying S2614, January 2026