New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has done an about-face, it seems. His latest take on Sports-betting in New York is that it could be just around the corner.
This while his office has continually insisted it was years away because it required a change of the State’s constitution.
Cuomo said on Tuesday that it was not out of the question that State legislators could approve mobile sports betting by the end of June
“It’s possible,” he told WAMC radio host Alan Chartock. “I think the time is short and the list is long. I would counsel the legislative leaders to get their priorities done. These priorities are not easy.”
The legislative session ends in June which leaves those pushing for sports betting precious little time. However, Cuomo’s new attitude is a far cry from his previous stance and has left sports-betting protagonists stunned but hopeful.
Bet bill sponsor Joe Addabbo surprised but encouraged
One of them is State Sen. Joe Addabbo, sponsor of the mobile sports betting bill. He is also chairman of the Senate Gaming and Wagering Committee.
He is reported to have said: “I had my last conversation with the governor’s office last week. We were still not on the same page.
“If the governor wants this and it all happens; if he wants it, that’s fine. I only hope it’s true. There are just 15 days left. If he wants to do something for revenue and everything else, now is crunch time.”
The revenue Addabbo was talking about is the millions in betting tax New York has been losing to New Jersey. Hundreds of their punters almost daily cross the Hudson River to place legal bets in the Garden State.
But for the Wire Act which prohibits sports betting across state lines, they would not even have to do that. Using smartphones they would be able to make online wagers from the comfort of their homes or offices.
