Legislation News

Published: March 8, 2025

Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO Senate Bill S5935 Prohibits online sweepstakes games and revenue from illegal markets

Current Committee:: Senate Racing, Gaming And Wagering
Law Section:: Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law
Laws Affected:: Add §912, RWB L

2025-S5935 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits online sweepstakes games and revenue from illegal markets; sets penalties; provides for enforcement of provisions.

2025-S5935 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5935 (ACTIVE) - Bill Textdownload pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5935
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 4, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and  Wager-
   ing
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
   relation to prohibiting online  sweepstakes  games  and  revenue  from
   illegal markets

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative purpose. It is the purpose of this  legislation
 to  prohibit  certain  persons  from operating, conducting, or promoting
 certain online sweepstakes games or supporting the  operation,  conduct-
 ing,  or promotion of certain online sweepstakes games. This legislation
 requires the New York state gaming commission and/or the New York  state
 attorney  general  to  deny a person from commencing or continuing oper-
 ations if such person or an affiliate of such person  knowingly  accepts
 revenue  that  is directly or indirectly derived from online sweepstakes
 games, and enforce penalties on behalf of  any  findings  of  prohibited
 engagement.
   §  2.  The racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law is amended by
 adding a new section 912 to read as follows:
   § 912. PROHIBITION OF ONLINE SWEEPSTAKES GAMES AND REVENUE FROM  ILLE-
 GAL  MARKETS.  1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "ONLINE
 SWEEPSTAKES GAME" SHALL MEAN ANY GAME, CONTEST,  OR  PROMOTION  THAT  IS
 AVAILABLE  ON THE INTERNET AND/OR ACCESSIBLE ON A MOBILE PHONE, COMPUTER
 TERMINAL, OR SIMILAR ACCESS DEVICE, THAT UTILIZES A DUAL-CURRENCY SYSTEM
 OF PAYMENT ALLOWING THE PLAYER TO EXCHANGE THE CURRENCY FOR  ANY  PRIZE,
 AWARD,  CASH OR CASH EQUIVALENTS, OR ANY CHANCE TO WIN ANY PRICE, AWARD,
 CASH OR CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND SIMULATES CASINO-STYLE  GAMING,  INCLUDING
 BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO, SLOT MACHINES, VIDEO POKER, TABLE GAMES INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO BLACKJACK, ROULETTE, CRAPS, AND POKER, LOTTERY  GAMES
 INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO DRAW GAMES, INSTANT WIN GAMES, KENO, AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10101-01-5

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https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5935