Betting in New York

Since launching online wagering in 2022, the Empire State has consistently posted the highest monthly handle in the entire country, often clearing $1.5–2.0 billion in wagers in a single month.

It’s a market defined by scale: millions of users, billions in bets, and nonstop demand across every major sport.

New York’s tax structure is notoriously tough. Sportsbooks pay a massive 51% tax on online betting revenue - a number so high that several major operators have said they wouldn’t survive it in any other state.

For you, the player, this tax rate shapes the environment you bet in. Operators have less room to throw out huge bonuses or aggressive promos, which is why New York’s welcome offers tend to be leaner than in states with lighter tax burdens.

The upside? A heavily taxed, tightly regulated market means the state takes consumer protection seriously. Everything from the odds you see to the way operators advertise is under strict control - keeping things safer and more transparent for bettors.

New York is a mobile-first betting market in the purest sense. More than 98% of wagers in the state are placed through phones and tablets - an adoption rate unmatched anywhere else in the country.

This didn’t happen by accident. New York launched with a “mobile-only” mindset, pushing all operators to invest heavily in app performance, banking options, and live-betting tools. The result? Some of the most advanced betting apps in the U.S. are optimized specifically with New York users in mind.

If you’re betting in NY, you’re doing it in the most mobile-driven market in America - and you benefit from the innovation that pressure creates.

New York follows the same rulebook as several major states: no betting on New York college teams, and no markets on college events hosted within state borders.

That means teams like Syracuse, St. John’s, Army, and Buffalo are completely off-limits - even during March Madness. You can still bet on college sports as a whole, but anything tied directly to New York schools is blocked.

This is mostly a guardrail, preventing wagering pressure around local teams and helps avoid integrity concerns tied to college athletes.

New York is one of the strictest fantasy-sports states in the country. Traditional DFS - where you draft a lineup, and compete against other players - is fully legal and offered by all the big operators.

Pick ’Em, though, is a hard no. In 2023, regulators banned prop-style Pick ’Em games for being “too close” to sportsbook wagers, forcing operators like Underdog and PrizePicks to pull the format entirely.

For players, that means DFS is still thriving - just without the over/under Pick ’Em slips popular elsewhere. If you want that style of play, the workaround is simple: head to any online sportsbook and build a parlay of player props. It delivers the same feel, only fully compliant with New York’s rules.

New York hasn’t legalized online casino gaming yet, which means no real-money online slots, blackjack, or table games. But that hasn’t stopped players from finding legal alternatives.

Sweepstakes casinos offer a workaround that stays fully within federal law. Instead of betting real money, you play with virtual currencies - one for fun, and one that can be redeemed for real cash prizes. The games look and feel like online casinos, giving New Yorkers a safe, compliant way to enjoy casino-style entertainment while the state debates full iGaming legislation.

If you’re waiting for true online casinos to launch, this is the closest you can get - and it’s 100% legal under current rules.

Sportsbooks in New York can’t touch politics, award shows, cultural outcomes, or anything outside traditional sports - but prediction markets can.

Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket allow New Yorkers to speculate on everything from elections and economic indicators to celebrity news and major cultural moments. These markets operate under federal regulation, not state gambling law, which is why you can legally trade on real-world questions the sportsbooks aren’t allowed to offer.

If you’ve ever wanted to “bet” on inflation numbers, box office results, presidential debates, or award winners, prediction markets are the only legal way to do it in New York.