End Game For NY Online Poker? Inclusion In Senate Budget Sets Stage For Passage

The New York Senate has unveiled its budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year.

Included in the Senate’s $160 billion FY 2017/2018 budget is the legalization of online poker. This activity would bring in a large chunk of revenue in Year 1 thanks to the hefty upfront $10 million licensing fees.

Online poker continues to gather momentum in New York

Online poker’s inclusion in the Senate’s budget is the latest in a string of positive signals dating back to 2016:

• The Senate easily passed a similar online poker bill in 2016, by a vote of 53-5.
• Companion online poker legislation has been introduced in the Assembly and Senate, by the chairs of the chambers’ respective Racing, Wagering and Gaming Committees, Assemblyman Gary Pretlow (A5250) and Sen. John Bonacic (S3893).
• The Senate Racing, Wagering and Gaming Committee passed the current online poker bill on Feb. 15 by an 11-0 vote.
• Pretlow is on the record saying his concerns have been assuaged. He doesn’t foresee that there will be “much opposition to moving this [online poker] along.”

Obstacles persist

However, the signal isn’t crystal clear. There is also some noise coming through:

• Pretlow’s support continues to come with caveats and qualifiers.
• Where Gov. Cuomo’s office stands on this issue is still unclear. Pretlow cited unnamed people in the administration with reservations, and Cuomo’s press secretary said any proposal would be “reviewed very carefully.”
• Online poker is not part of the Assembly’s current FY budget, nor is it included in the governor’s 2017/2018 budget.
• Online poker was included in the Senate’s 2016/2017 budget, but it was stripped out of the final budget last year.

NY online poker regulation: next steps

The Senate is expected to pass its budget tomorrow. From there it will be a matter of convincing the Assembly to agree to add online poker to the budget over the next couple of weeks.

Based on the timeline, it’s safe to say the legislature is in the lightning round when it comes to passing a budget. Because of this, online poker could be a casualty of the legislature’s lack of time.

The good news is that even if online poker is out of the budget, legislation can be passed a standalone proposal down the road.

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