After New York formally outlawed dual-currency online sweepstakes casinos via Senate Bill S.5935A yesterday, Senator Joseph Addabbo, who is also Chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee has endorsed the decision.
The law, now designated Chapter 605, targets unregulated sweepstakes-style platforms that emulate online casino play and offer cash-redeemable prizes without state authorisation or oversight. The ban applies only to sweepstakes-style games offering cash-equivalent rewards; free-to-play variants remain unaffected.
Senator Addabbo positioned the law as a consumer protection measure, citing the absence of age verification, betting limits, responsible gambling tools and regulatory monitoring on such platforms.
Commenting directly on the decision, Addabbo stated: "If a game on your phone or computer looks like a casino game, acts like a casino game and pays out real money winnings like a casino game, then it is a casino gambling game, thus currently illegal and should not operate in New York without proper regulation, safeguards and accountability.
"This law makes it clear: these unregulated sweepstakes casinos were not only unsafe, but they were operating illegally."
The move aligns New York with states such as New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Montana and Nevada, which have introduced similar prohibitions.
The ban arrives amid broader national scrutiny of sweepstakes models; just one day earlier, the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) criticised the bill as "rushed," arguing that regulated taxation could have generated substantial state revenue.
The SGLA points to an estimated $230m in economic contributions from "social plus" games in 2024 and maintains public support for regulation over prohibition.
Addabbo emphasised that the legislation is not an endpoint but a precursor to deeper conversations about online casino regulation in New York.
New York's sports betting market recorded $280.5m in GGR in November 2025 - the highest monthly total in state history
