History of gambling in New York - All you need to know
Gambling in New York dates back as far as the early 1600s. In the early 1800s, the lottery was introduced and made legal. However, it was later banned before being reinstated in 1967. Once again the lottery made headlines and began to provide revenue to the area. It wasn’t until 2013 that casinos that were not regulated through
Indian Reservations
were legal to build and offer gaming to NY residents and visitors. This was a move to help bring in more revenue to the state and help offset its debts.
Playing in retail casinos in New York became normalized throughout the state as their popularity as an entertainment option grew, as did public interest in casino games. So far as online casinos are concerned, the story is a little different. Currently, mobile sports betting is legal but not online casinos. Instead, you will need to find yourself a social or sweepstakes casino. These types of casinos fall under different laws to real money gambling sites and allow players to immerse themselves in the full experience without ever depositing any money. We detail a full overview of the current NY gambling scene in the guide below.
Gambling guide - The latest NY legislation for 2025
|
Permitted / Offered? |
Notes & Restrictions |
| Land-Based Casinos |
Yes |
|
| Online Gambling |
Yes |
Only in the shape of social and sweepstakes casinos |
| Sports Betting |
Yes |
Sports betting is allowed in licensed and regulated land-based casinos, as well as a select few mobile sportsbooks. |
| Lottery |
Yes |
Both state-wide lottery options and multi-state options are available and legal to play. |
| Daily Fantasy Sports |
Yes |
|
| House Gambling |
No |
The only time that house gambling is allowed is if it is for a charitable event where money is being raised. |
| Minimum Gambling Age |
18 or 21 |
18 for all gambling options besides some land-based casinos that offer alcohol within their establishments, where it is 21 years of age. |
Land-based casino legal situation - Legal since 2013
Land-based casinos in New York were made legal in 2013. With casinos on Indian reservations and those that are privately owned, you have lots to choose from, depending on on your location and how far you're willing to travel. When you become a member, you’re able to get points for playing during your visits.
Here is a selection of the casinos in New York State:
- Del Lago Casino
- Tioga Downs Casino
- Lakeside Entertainment
- Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack
- Point Place Casino
- Seneca Allegany Casino
- Rivers Casino
- Monticello Casino
The casino in New York State that you choose will depend on your personal preferences and your geographical proximity. Each one will offer something a little bit different, and there are lots of factors you can consider to find the one that's right for you.
Online casino legal situation - Real money is not an option!
Playing in New York online casinos isn't currently an option for New York residents. Players within the state will have to rely on the land-based casinos to meet their wagering needs, or travel to nearby states such as New Jersey in order to experience online gambling legally. This is a situation that is expected to change in the future, but for now online gambling isn't something that New York natives can take part in without some traveling.
The legal status of New York social and sweepstake casinos
Great news – anyone aged 18 or over can play at New York social casinos and sweepstakes casinos. Sure, you can’t wager real money at these gaming sites, but they’ll give you an awesome way to play for free.
Because you’re playing for free, New York sweepstake and social casinos don’t really have anything that can be considered as gambling. This means that any losses aren’t going to hurt too much and you’ll get access to a similar range of slots and table games as you’d get at a real money casino site.
We think that social and sweepstakes casinos are easily among the best US online casinos simply because the focus is all on the fun. However, it’s worth noting that you can win some prizes at these gaming sites. Just remember that players from New York might find that they have a lower cap on the value of their prizes than players in other US states.
Confused? Then here are the basics of what New York social casinos and sweepstakes casinos are all about.
- Play with virtual credit rather than real money
- Cannot be categorized as gambling
- Need to be at least 18 years old to play
- Can be played from anywhere in New York State
- Cannot make deposits, but can purchase virtual credit instead
Social casinos - An attractive (and risk-free) alternative
Social casinos
offer a chance to play casino games without the risk of losing any money, and they are generally legal. However, having back rooms that provide poker and other table games or slot machines that are not licensed and regulated is not allowed.
Social casinos that are organized to raise money for charity are legal, as long as the
Gaming Commission
has approved their application.
Why we love New York social casinos
Like casino games and based in New York State? Then you’ll definitely like what you find on the many awesome
social casino apps
and websites. This is because these all let you play slots and table games online and it won’t cost you a single cent.
Social casinos are all about fun, and you’ll be able to play against friends and family by using virtual credit rather than cash. Not that social casinos are lightweight as we’ve found that many of them include hundreds of slots games that are just as good as you’d find at a regular real money casino. So whether you’re based in New York City, Albany or Buffalo, be sure to sign up to a social casino!
Play at the best New York social casinos
We’re here to guide you to the
top social casinos
currently serving the Empire State. There’s a pretty wide gulf in the quality of these online gaming sites with some featuring hundreds of slots and table games from top developers, while others seem to be happy just to give you a handful of very simple slots.
So we’ll be ranking and rating each social casino that you can play from New York. This means that you’ll always get the best social gaming experience and what’s best is that it won’t cost you a single cent!
Play at New York sweepstake casinos
We’re pretty sure that all New York gamers will like what they find at
new sweepstake casinos in the US. This is because these sites let you play slots and table games for free and you can even win some prizes for taking part.
Remember that these prizes are only awarded if you play with one of the two different kinds of virtual credit that you get at sweepstake casinos. Here’s the basics of these virtual currencies:
These will only let you play the standard mode of the games, which is where you cannot win any prizes. You can usually purchase gold coins at the sweepstakes casino.
These let you play promotional games, which is where you’ll take part in the sweepstakes contests and you could win prizes. You can never purchase sweepstakes coins but can earn them through your gameplay, via promos or even as a bonus for purchasing gold coins.
You can’t help but pick up
promo codes for sweepstakes casinos. After all, these promo codes are an essential part of how these online gaming sites work. While you can always purchase virtual credit, we can all agree that it’s far more fun to get it for free.
Here are just some of the sweepstakes casino promo bonuses that you might come across:
Chances are that you’ll get lots of gold coins and even some sweepstakes coins for signing up to the sweepstakes casino.
This is where you will get a daily dose of virtual credit just for logging into your account every 24 hours.
Here you just have to take part in one of the sweepstakes casino tournaments on social media and you could win lots of promo credit.
We love those sweepstakes casinos that host special races and battles. This is where you have to take on other gamers by playing certain games, and if you win more than them, you’ll be suitably rewarded with free credit.
Fortune Coins - Our recommended real money online casino alternative
Clearly, real money online casino sites are off the cards. However, that doesn't mean we haven't got a fantastic alternative lined up for you. Fortune Coins is a fantastic sweepstakes casino site that allows you to choose whether you play for fun or for cash prizes. In other words, you'll get the best of both worlds.
To get you started, you'll be presented with the chance to redeem a 140,000 Gold Coin (GC) and 500 Fortune Coin (FC) bonus. The bonus itself will vary depending on how you register but the full bonus can be redeemed by simply linking your Facebook account. Once linked, all credits will be visible in your account and eligible for use across over 50 casino titles.
Although not the largest portfolio on the scene, it does offer great slot variations, Keno, video poker, and one-of-a-kind fish games. Plus, you'll also be able to make the most of 24/7 customer support, mobile accessibility, and, for those who play for FC, the chance to make instant withdrawals. Every 100 FC is equivalent to $1 and a real cash conversion can be completed once players have acquired 5,000 FC.
Responsible online gambling - Staying aboard
Taking responsibility for your online gambling is a most important consideration for regular gamblers. Adopting measures such as setting a strict budget for both money and time spent before you go online can help you stay in control of your online activities. If things do get out of hand, there are a number of organizations and resources that can offer support. Some links that can help are:
- New York State Gambling Problems
- New York Council on Problem Gambling
- National Council on Problem Gambling
It's always best to seek help sooner than later.
Conclusion - take time to find the best real money online casino alternatives today
As you can see, real money online casinos in New York are still prohibited. However, you can enjoy the same great casino experience by visiting one of the best social and sweepstakes casinos today. Clearly, Fortune Coins offers one of the largest welcome bonuses around, giving you the chance to make the most of your time online. Regardless of whether you are playing for fun or cash prizes, you can enjoy some great slots, keno, video poker, and fish games, while feeling safe that support is on hand 24/7 should you encounter any problems.
Of course, we know that there is no one-size-fits-all, so we've devoted some of our time to creating in-depth reviews of the social and sweepstakes casino scene. Head back to CaptainGambling.com to see if you can find your perfect match today.
New York Online Casino FAQ
💻 Can I gamble online in New York?
No, players can't currently gamble online legally in New York. There are no laws that allow this type of wagering in the state.
🥇 What is the best online casino site in New York?
There currently aren't any online casinos to play at in New York. When online gambling is legalized and made available to the public we will offer our recommendations.
🗓 When did legal online casinos in New York open?
Online casinos in New York have not yet been made legal. There are no laws regulating online gambling currently.
📱 Can I gamble using my mobile device?
Currently, New York residents must travel to neighbouring states like New Jersey to legally place wagers using a mobile device.
❓ Who is responsible for regulating New York online gambling?
The New York State Gaming Commission is responsible for regulating and controlling gambling in NY. However, some decisions are made through the government sectors of the state prior to going through the Gaming Commission.
