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A proposal to strip proposition bets out of New York’s legal sports betting menu has landed in Albany. But it’s already running into a familiar problem of the Senate buy-in.
Assembly bill A09636, sponsored by Assembly Racing & Wagering Chair Carrie Woerner, would tighten the state’s definition of sports wagering and steer legal betting toward traditional, game-level outcomes.
Woerner’s bill would reduce bet types
A09636 changes the definition of sports wagering on the final outcome/score/winner of a sporting event. If passed, it would make player-centric and in-game market options, which now dominate sportsbook promos and parlays, obsolete.
The bill also includes provisions for enforcement, allowing fines of up to $100,000 per violation, and potential license suspension or revocation for operators found offering bets that fall outside the permitted scope.
Addabbo stands firm, “Regulate” beats “ban”
However, the bigger issue for the proposal remains political reality. Sen. Joseph Addabbo, the Senate’s key voice on gaming, is saying he’s not eager to go down the ban route.
In reports, Addabbo said he understands why lawmakers want to act, especially with sports facing integrity questions tied to illicit betting. He suggested that a ban on props would be a simpler solution, though not the most effective. In his view, a more comprehensive rulebook and enhanced controls would be more appropriate.
“As far as banning it across the board in a very competitive market, I would be a little hesitant about that,” he said in reports.
Addabbo also warned that wiping out popular bet markets could push customers to offshore sites, illegal bookies, or neighboring states where those bets remain available.
New York already does not allow certain prop betting tied to in-state college teams/athletes, reflecting longstanding sensitivity around collegiate integrity.
This debate is happening while New York’s mobile market is printing historic numbers
New York’s sports betting performance has consistently led the nation since its inception, and the state’s weekly reports clearly indicate that a significant volume of activity is generated by the very products currently under legislative scrutiny, particularly player proposition bets and same-game parlay-style markets.
That’s why there’s resistance even among lawmakers who want more guardrails. Fewer bet types can mean less handle, less revenue, and less channeling into legal books.
It’s not the only sports betting rewrite in play
Woerner isn’t working from a single-bill lane. Other measures already in circulation would reshape the market in different ways, including proposals touching VIP eligibility, affordability-style checks for high-value programs, enhanced KYC/account security requirements, and data reporting for addiction research.
Separate legislation has also been floated around expanding the number of operators and adjusting the tax approach tied to market size, though those ideas carry their own fiscal and political baggage in a state famous for its steep mobile sports betting tax rate.
Right now, A09636 is a signal flare more than a done deal
It has a clear argument behind it, reduce the bet types most linked to harassment, integrity concerns, and risky play. But without Addabbo’s support, the path through the Senate looks steep, and New York’s industry math makes a full prop wipeout a tough sell.
For now, the more likely fight is not “ban or keep,” but how far New York wants to go on limits, monitoring, and operator obligations, without handing the market back to the unregulated side of the internet.
Source: Gambling Insider
