Is it legal to play at online casinos in New York?
The gaming industry in New York is regulated at the state level.
There is the
NYS Gaming Commission
which
“regulates all aspects of gaming activity in the State, including horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, Class III Indian Gaming, the state lottery (including video lottery terminals), commercial gaming, sports wagering, interactive fantasy sports, and charitable gaming.”
Historically, New York has had a strict anti-gambling approach with few exceptions. Most of the casino-style gaming has been restricted to land-based casinos in Indian reservations. Although other forms of gambling like horse racing and state lotteries have been legal in New York for a long time, online casinos are yet to be given the same status.
This is when horse racing was growing in popularity as a form of gambling across the United States. NY State was one of the many states that began to legalize horse racing in the state.
The New York Lottery was first established in 1967 and continues to remain a popular and legal lottery in the state. People play Keno, scratch cards, and draw games like Mega Millions, Powerball, and so on.
The 90s witnessed many new developments in the gambling industry in New York. This was when the Off-Track Betting (OTB) Corporation was established and also the first time video lottery terminals (VLTs) were installed at racetracks.
A breakthrough occurred in 2013 when voters approved an amendment to the New York Constitution. This effectively allowed the creation of Las Vegas-style casinos in the state and as a result, the first upstate casinos began operating in 2014. The state also legalized sports betting at the commercial casinos this year.
In the
2021 Budget Bill, the state of New York finally legalized sports betting. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the measure in April of 2021, and the
top NY online sportsbooks, like FanDuel, BetMGM, and more, started to legally operate in New York.
You can read more about the New York gambling laws in the
New York State Penal Code §225.00 et seq.; 47A:101 et seq.; RW&B 47A§518.
New York
Are Sweepstakes Casinos Legal in New York?
- Are sweepstakes casinos allowed:
Yes
- Relevant legal code:
New York Consolidated Laws, Penal Law - PEN § 156.40
- Any special restrictions:
Yes, casinos cap prizes at maximum $5000
- Legal age of participation:
18
Source:
New York Consolidated Laws, Penal Law - PEN § 156.40
Similar to Florida, New York has additional restrictions for prizes exceeding $5000. These include a filing fee of $100, a list of all terms and conditions of the promotion, a surety bond, and more.
This prompts sweeps casinos to cap prizes at $5000 in order to avoid the extra logistics.
As I have mentioned, you cannot yet find online casinos in New York, but there are several other forms of commercial gambling that you can participate in. Below, I have listed the most popular and legal forms of gambling in the state of New York.
- New York state lottery
- Online sports betting and sports betting at retail locations
- Pari-mutuel betting on horse racing
- Charitable bingo and raffles
- Both Native American and non-Indian land-based casinos
- New York sweepstakes casinos online
As you can see, many forms of online and offline gambling are legal in the state of New York. I'll move on to talking about New York sweepstakes laws, especially given their meteoric rise in the last few years.
Is it legal to play at sweepstakes casinos in New York?
Now that you know that there isn’t a real money online casino in New York with a no-deposit bonus, what are your other options? Most New Yorkers have been gravitating toward sweepstakes casinos over the last few years. So, what explains the popularity of sweepstakes casino games in New York? It’s quite simple, you can play games for free on sweepstakes casinos and also stand a chance to redeem your virtual SC for actual prizes like cash prizes and gift cards.
According to my review of sweepstakes laws in New York, there is no law prohibiting residents of the state from participating in
legal sweepstakes casinos. However, online sweepstakes casinos operating in the state must adhere to the sweepstakes laws in New York to remain compliant and legal.
So, what are these laws?
No-purchase necessary games:
According to the laws, Sweeps casinos will only be classified as such if they offer free-to-play games. No purchase should be made necessary to enter and play these games on a site. If such a requirement is introduced, the Sweeps casino will be classified as a ‘gambling’ site and will have its legality revoked.
Age requirements for players:
You will need to be at least 18 years or older to play lottery games in New York and 21 years or older to participate in sports betting. When it comes to sweepstakes casinos, you should be 21 years of age or older to play sweepstakes casinos in New York. While some sites say that 18+ is fine, we highly recommend not breaking the law and playing on sweepstakes casinos if you are a minor.
You cannot redeem prizes worth more than $5,000 in a single day from a New York sweepstakes casino. You will open yourself up to federal taxes and skirmish with the law if you redeem more than that on a single day.
Are sweepstakes casinos operating in the state of New York licensed?
Sweepstakes casinos can legally operate in the state of New York, as long as they don’t introduce any element that would get them classified as a ‘lottery’ or a ‘gambling’ site. Sweepstakes casinos do not need to secure a separate license to operate in New York as long as they
- Do not mandate a purchase or deposit to enter the sweepstakes.
- Have no "consideration” involved in the game.
- Some skill-based games need to be offered since purely chance-based games alone would constitute gambling.
If you come across a
sweepstakes casino online
and you are based in New York, simply ask yourself if the casino site is adhering to the above requirements. If it passes the test, you can rest assured that you aren’t breaking any New York sweepstakes rules or playing on an illegal site.
How do you identify which sweepstakes casinos are legit?
While New York online casinos are not yet legal, there are many sweepstakes casinos out there that you could be exploring. However, you should be safe and cautious when trying out a
new sweeps cash casino
site. To help you assess the legitimacy of a sweepstakes site, I have compiled an easy checklist for you below:
- Read industry reviews and reviews from other players:
Always read reviews about a site before you open up a new account. You can come check out the expert review guides on our website or head to Reddit, TrustPilot, Facebook, and other online forums to find reliable reviews from other players.
- Don’t pay any deposit to play the games:
You should never have to deposit to enter a new site and play the sweepstakes games being offered there. While there will be options to purchase coin packages, and that’s completely legal, it is not legal to make you purchase something in order to access the games when you first sign up.
Knowledge is power. Running a quick background check on a sweeps casino can go a long way in preserving your peace of mind.
What potential future updates on online casinos in New York can the people expect?
While online casinos in New York continue to remain illegal, there is hope that the tides will turn in the future. Below, I have summarized some of my observations on what to expect in the future.
- The Sports Betting Success Effect:
Given the successful legalization and subsequent launch of online sports betting in New York, many people remain hopeful that online casinos might have the same fate. The post-legalization effects of sports betting can be studied and used as an argument to legalize online casinos since it can generate a lot of revenue for the state.
- Shifting Public Opinion:
A recent poll conducted in August 2024 in New York Sen. Joe Addabbo’s district showed that 44% of respondents favored the legalization of online casino gaming, with 33% opposed. Since land-based casinos have already been legalized in the state, many people believe there is no reason not to legalize online casinos, simply a virtual extension of the former.
- The companion New York online casino bill:
The bill AB9198
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=AB9198
was introduced in February 2024 by Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow with the intent of legalizing iGaming. The legislation has outlined a 30.5% tax rate on iGaming operators and the expectation of $4 billion in revenue annually for the state is quite tempting.
While there have been no recent updates on the fate of the bill and when online casinos in the state will be legalized, I can only hope that there will be some major legislative pushes in the future.
No-deposit bonus wagering requirements in New York
There are several New York sweepstakes casinos that you can start playing at immediately, and get a hefty no-deposit welcome bonus to go along with it. It is good to note that in almost all sweepstakes casinos with no-deposit bonuses, you won’t be able to immediately redeem a bonus for actual prizes.
For example, if you sign up on McLuck Casino, you will receive 27.5 free SC and up to 57.500 GC. However, to be eligible for redemption, you need to play through your SC at least once. You will also need 75 played through SC for gift card redemption and 100 played through SC for cash prize redemption at the minimum. Below, you will find a detailed table of the best no-deposit bonuses for New York sweepstakes casinos, along with the wagering requirements for redemption.
| Sweepstakes Casino |
No-deposit bonus |
Playthrough requirements |
| McLuck |
27.5 Free SC + Up to 57.500 GC |
SC must be played through 1x before redemption: 75 SC for cash, 100 SC for gift cards |
| Stake US |
25 SC + 250,000 GC |
Must play through 3x before redemption |
| Sportzino |
SC 7 Welcome Bonus + Up to GC 170,000 |
SC must be played through 1x before redeeming |
| WOW Vegas |
35 SC Free and 1.75M WOW Coins |
SC must be played through 1x before redemption |
| High 5 Casino |
5 SC Free + 250 Game Coins and 600 Diamonds |
SC must be played through 1x before redemption; 50 SC for a gift card, 100 SC for cash prizes |
| Sweeptastic |
50% First Purchase Discount: Get 40K Lucky Coins + 40 SC Free |
SC must be played through 1x before redeeming; 100 SC minimum for redemption |
| Fortune Coins |
1,400 Fortune Coins+ Free 650,000 GC |
SC must be played through 1x before redemption |
| Zula Casino |
Get 10 SC Sign-up Bonus + 100K GC |
SC must be played through 1x before redemption; 50 SC is the minimum required for redemption |
| Hello Millions |
2.5 SC +15,000 GC |
SC must be played through 1x before redeeming |
| Vegas Gems |
1K Gems + 50% Extra Gems On First Purchase |
SC must be played through 1x before redeeming: 100 SC required at the minimum for a redemption |
What are users saying about playing sweepstakes casinos online in New York?
When looking into online player forums and what people are saying about sweepstakes casinos in New York, I discovered that most players have moved to sweepstakes casinos in the absence of legal online casinos in New York.
For example, one Redditor started a thread asking for an NY online casino with
no deposit sign-up bonuses.
On this thread, other Redittors pointed out that online casinos are not yet legal in NY and the OP should check out sweepstakes casinos instead. One of them recommended sweepstakes casinos such as McLuck Casino, Pulse, Chumba Casino, and so on.
On another thread, where a Redditor asked whether sweepstakes casinos are legal in NY, members of the community explained the difference and shared their own experiences of playing on sweepstakes sites. One of them talked about their own experience of winning on sweep sites and being able to redeem the coins upon KYC verification, for cash prizes.
As you can see, New York online casinos might not be legal yet, but there are plenty of options for you if you want to enjoy casino-style gaming in the state. Your best option is a sweepstakes casino, which is perfectly legal and can be accessed 24/7.
Final thoughts on sweepstakes casinos in New York
While online casinos continue to remain illegal in the state of New York, there is some hope that they might be legalized in the future. The NY legal gambling companion bill introduced in February 2024 is currently in the works and might open up some doors for legal online casinos in the future.
Meanwhile, if you want a taste of casino-style gaming, check out sweepstakes casinos, which are completely legal in the state of New York. You can find several no-deposit bonuses, rewards, and the chance to play your favorite slots and card games for free online.
New York Legal Sweepstakes Casino FAQ
🧑⚖️ Are sweepstakes casinos legal in New York?
Yes, sweepstakes casinos are legal in New York as long as there is no ‘consideration’ involved. That means that there can’t be a purchase or deposit mandated by the site with the promise of an outcome on the game.
❓ Will online casinos be legal in NY?
It is hard to say whether online casinos will become legal in NY with certainty. However, a new bill was introduced in February 2024, which intends to make iGaming legal in the state. If the bill passes, we might indeed be looking at a future where online casinos will become legal in NY.
💸 Are sweepstakes legal in New York?
Yes, sweepstakes are completely legal in New York as long as the party hosting the sweepstakes does not charge any fee or deposit to let people enter the sweepstakes.
⁉️ What happens if you win money at a sweepstakes casino?
You cannot ever win money at a sweepstakes casino because they work on the concept of virtual coins that have no monetary value in real life. However, you can win Sweeps Coins or SC on several sweepstakes casinos, which can be redeemed for a prize.
🏅 Which are the top sweepstakes casinos in New York?
Some of the most well-known sweepstakes casinos for New York players include Stake.us, Pulsz, Chumba Casino, McLuck Casino, and many more.
🧐 Are raffles legal in New York state?
Yes, raffles are legal in New York as long as they are conducted by a licensed entity.
¿? How to tell if a sweepstakes casino is legitimate?
If a sweepstakes casino is free to play and verified by other players on the internet, you can trust it. Also, check my detailed guides on top sweepstakes casinos to get more information on whether they are legitimate.
👯♂️ Are casino night fundraisers legal in New York?
In NY, charitable gaming is authorized by Article 9A NYS General Law and therefore, casino night fundraisers are legal in the state.
🎭 Is chumba casino legal in NY?
Yes, you can play at Chumba Casino if you are based in NY. It is perfectly legal and a verified sweepstakes casino.
🧐 Is bingo legal in New York?
As long as a licensed operator is conducting a bingo game, it is legal in the state of New York.
Disclaimer: Kindly note that we are not legal or tax experts. While we always strive to present the most accurate information, this is not binding legal advice. Always reach out to a licensed lawyer or tax advisor when in doubt.
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