New York Bill Targets In-Play Sports Betting

^{New York Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, who introduced legislation targeting in-play sports betting to address the rising percentages of live bettors who are also classified as problem gamblers. (Photo: Lev Radin / Alamy)}

A new proposal in the New York State legislature would end the practice of offering in-play betting at casinos in the state and online sportsbooks, a move that would dramatically change the offerings for bettors in the Empire State.

The legislation, designated as A9343, was introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-New York City). 

Rosenthal Cites Problem Gambling as Justification for Ban

In her legislative justification for the bill, Rosenthal pointed to studies that have shown an increase in the prevalence of problem gambling. In addition, she cited a 2018 study from the Journal of Gambling Studies which found that 78% of individuals who placed live bets were classified as problem gamblers, while other research has found that bettors tend to place larger bets during games than before them.

“New York State has an obligation to protect consumers and address concerning public health trends,” Rosenthal wrote. “As such, this legislation will prohibit mobile sports betting licensees, operators and casinos from accepting in-play wagers in New York.” 

Lawmakers in the New York State Assembly could begin looking at Rosenthal’s bill in January, when the state’s next legislative session begins. Debate is likely to center on finding a balance between minimizing potential harm to bettors with the significant revenue that live betting brings in for sportsbooks – and by extension, for the state via taxes.

Earlier in 2025, both FanDuel and DraftKings acknowledged that more than half of their betting handle came from in-play betting. A large analysis by Optimove Insights, which examined nearly 3.8 million bettors from the United States, UK, Greece, Italy, and Spain, found that 54% of all bets – including 52% in the USA – were placed live rather than before games. 

Sports leagues have generally been supportive of in-play betting as well, seeing it as a way to drive continued engagement from live and television audiences – especially when it comes to games that fans would otherwise have little interest in, or those where a blowout has made the winner all but certain relatively early in the game.

New York Legislators Propose Limits on Sportsbooks 

Rosenthal’s bill is just one of several pieces of legislation related to the gaming industry that could impact how sportsbooks operate moving forward if passed. 

Assembly Bill 125 would stop sportsbooks from banning or limiting players simply for being winners or advantage players. Sportsbooks have argued that limiting individual bettors is necessary to maintain profitability while also being allowed to offer a wider range of options and promotions for typical users.

Meanwhile, Assemblyman Robert Carroll (D-Brooklyn) has proposed his own bill, A7962, which would limit bettors to wagering only $5,000 per day. It would also ban credit cards for sports betting deposits and limit users to no more than five deposits in any 24-hour period. The legislation also includes a ban on sports betting adds between 8 am and 10 pm or during any live sporting events.

Many of these proposals are similar to those in the SAFE Bet Act, the federal legislation proposed by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Representative Paul Tonko (D-New York). Legislators across the country have increased calls for stronger oversight of the betting industry following a series of scandals and controversies related to betting on professional and college sports..