NY State Senate Bill 2025-S2617

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 21, 2025	referred to racing, gaming and wagering

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Racing, Gaming And Wagering
Law Section:: Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§1401, 1402, 1403, 1404, 1405, 1406 & 1408, RWB L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S9044

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Includes contests wherein participants select whether athletes, in the case of sporting events, shall accumulate more or less than a target score set by an operator, as an interactive fantasy sports contest; provides a definition for interactive fantasy sports gross revenue; makes related provisions.

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2617

SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
relation to interactive fantasy sports

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Allows for new types of interactive fantasy sports games and creates a
licensing and regulatory process to ensure compliance and oversight.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends section 1401 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and
breeding law.

Section 2. Amends section 1402 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and
breeding law.

Section 3. Amends the opening paragraph of subdivision 4 of section 1403

of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law.

Section 4. Amends paragraphs (o) and (q) of subdivision 1 of section
1404 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law.

Section 5. Amends section 1405 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and
breeding law by adding four new subdivisions 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Section 6. Amends the opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 1406
of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law.

Section 7. Amends section 1408 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and
breeding law.

Section 8. Effective Date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York first authorized interactive fantasy sports in 2016. Since
then, the market has evolved to include new types of offerings and
demand for these types of games has increased rapidly. To keep up with
the pace of the market and consumer demand, New York State needs a
robust licensing and regulatory structure to ensure these games have the
appropriate oversight and consumer protections in place. Along with
updating the regulatory environment for these types of offerings, this
bill increases consumer protections by raising the age to 21 for author-
ized players or contestants, putting it on a level playing field with
mobile sports wagering.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: S9044A - Referred to Racing, Gaming and Wagering, Reported to
Finance

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Increased revenue to the state through licensing fees and tax revenue.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2617
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 21, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and  Wager-
   ing
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
   relation to interactive fantasy sports
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 1401 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breed-
 ing law, as added by chapter 237 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read
 as follows:
   §  1401.  Definitions.  As  used  in this article, the following terms
 shall have the following meanings:
   1. ["Authorized player" shall mean an individual located in  New  York
 state,  who is not a prohibited player, that participates in an interac-
 tive fantasy sports contest offered by a registrant.
   2. "Collegiate sport or athletic event" shall mean a sport or athletic
 event offered or sponsored by or played in connection with a  public  or
 private  institution that offers education services beyond the secondary
 level.
   3.] "Commission" shall mean the New York state gaming commission.
   [4. "Entry fee" shall mean cash or cash equivalent that is paid by  an
 authorized  player  to  an  operator  or registrant to participate in an
 interactive fantasy sports contest offered by such  operator  or  regis-
 trant.
   5. "High school sport or athletic event" shall mean a sport or athlet-
 ic  event  offered or sponsored by or played in connection with a public
 or private institution that offers education services at  the  secondary
 level.
   6.  "Highly  experienced  player"  shall mean an authorized player who
 has:

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06892-01-5
 S. 2617                             2

   (a) entered more than one thousand contests offered by a single opera-
 tor or registrant; or
   (b)  won more than three prizes valued at one thousand dollars each or
 more from a single operator or registrant.
   7. "Horse racing  event"  shall  mean  any  sport  or  athletic  event
 conducted  in  New York state subject to the provisions of articles two,
 three, four, five, six, nine, ten and eleven of  this  chapter,  or  any
 sport  or  athletic  event conducted outside of New York state, which if
 conducted in New York state would be subject to the provisions  of  this
 chapter.
   8.]  2. "Interactive fantasy sports contest" or "contest" shall mean a
 game of skill wherein [one] TWO or more contestants compete against each
 other, INCLUDING CONTESTS WHEREIN PARTICIPANTS SELECT WHETHER  ATHLETES,
 IN  THE  CASE  OF  SPORTING EVENTS, SHALL ACCUMULATE MORE OR LESS THAN A
 TARGET SCORE SET BY AN OPERATOR, by  using  [their]  SUCH  PARTICIPANT'S
 knowledge  and  understanding  of athletic events and athletes to select
 and manage rosters  of  simulated  players  whose  performance  directly
 corresponds  with  the actual performance of human competitors on sports
 teams and in sports events.
   [9. "Interactive fantasy sports gross revenue" shall mean  the  amount
 equal  to the total of all entry fees not attributable to New York state
 prohibited sports events that a registrant collects  from  all  players,
 less the total of all sums not attributable to New York state prohibited
 sports  events  paid  out  as winnings to all players, multiplied by the
 resident percentage for New York  state;  provided,  however,  that  the
 total  of all sums paid out as winnings to players shall not include the
 cash equivalent value of any merchandise or thing of value awarded as  a
 prize.
   10.] 3. "TARGET SCORE" SHALL MEAN A NUMERICAL FIGURE ESTABLISHED BY AN
 OPERATOR THAT IS DERIVED FROM A SINGLE ATHLETE'S ACCUMULATED STATISTICS,
 MULTIPLE  STATISTICS  OR  A  FANTASY  SCORE,  AND FOR WHICH A CONTESTANT
 CHOOSES WHETHER AN IDENTIFIED INSTANCE OR STATISTICAL ACHIEVEMENT  SHALL
 OR  SHALL  NOT OCCUR, SHALL BE ACHIEVED, OR SHALL BE SURPASSED. USE OF A
 TARGET SCORE SHALL BE AN INTERACTIVE FANTASY SPORTS  CONTEST  THAT  DOES
 NOT RENDER SUCH A CONTEST AS SPORTS WAGERING, AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN
 PARAGRAPH (X) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION THIRTEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN
 OF  THIS  CHAPTER,  PROVIDED THE SCORING CRITERIA IS OFFERED BY A REGIS-
 TRANT AS PART OF A PEER-TO-PEER INTERACTIVE FANTASY SPORTS CONTEST.
   4. (A) "Interactive fantasy sports operator" or "operator" shall  mean
 any  person or entity that offers any interactive fantasy sports contest
 to any authorized player through any interactive  fantasy  sports  plat-
 form.
   [11.]  (B)  AN OPERATOR SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED AN INTERACTIVE FANTASY
 SPORTS CONTEST CONTESTANT BY VIRTUE OF DOING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) SETTING HOUSE RULES FOR A CONTEST;
   (II) ASSIGNING A SALARY OR TARGET SCORE TO  ANY  ELIGIBLE  ATHLETE  OR
 PLAYER;
   (III) ACCEPTING AN ENTRY FEE FROM A FANTASY CONTEST PARTICIPANT; OR
   (IV) AWARDING OR DISBURSING PRIZES.
   5.  "Interactive fantasy sports platform" or "platform" shall mean the
 combination of hardware, software, and data  networks  used  to  manage,
 administer, or control contests and any associated entry fees.
   [12.] 6. "Interactive fantasy sports registrant" or "registrant" shall
 mean  an operator that is registered by the commission. A registrant may
 utilize multiple interactive fantasy sports platforms and offer multiple
 S. 2617                             3
 
 contests, provided that each platform and each contest has been reviewed
 and approved by the commission.
   [13. "Minor" shall mean any person under the age of eighteen years.
   14.]  7.  "AUTHORIZED PLAYER" OR "CONTESTANT" SHALL MEAN AN INDIVIDUAL
 LOCATED IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WHO IS NOT A PROHIBITED  PLAYER,  THAT
 PARTICIPATES  IN  AN  INTERACTIVE  FANTASY  SPORTS  CONTEST OFFERED BY A
 REGISTRANT AND IS AT LEAST TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE.
   8. "ENTRY FEE" SHALL MEAN CASH OR CASH EQUIVALENT THAT IS PAID  BY  AN
 AUTHORIZED  PLAYER  TO  AN  OPERATOR  OR REGISTRANT TO PARTICIPATE IN AN
 INTERACTIVE FANTASY SPORTS CONTEST OFFERED BY SUCH  OPERATOR  OR  REGIS-
 TRANT.
   9.  "HIGHLY  EXPERIENCED  PLAYER"  SHALL MEAN AN AUTHORIZED PLAYER WHO
 HAS:
   (A) ENTERED MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND CONTESTS OFFERED BY A SINGLE OPERA-
 TOR OR REGISTRANT; OR
   (B) WON MORE THAN THREE PRIZES VALUED AT ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH  OR
 MORE FROM A SINGLE OPERATOR OR REGISTRANT.
   10. "Prohibited player" shall mean:
   (a)  any  member,  officer, employee or agent of an operator or regis-
 trant;
   (b) any spouse, child, [brother, sister] SIBLING or parent residing as
 a member of the same household in the principal place of  abode  of  any
 member, officer, employee or agent of an operator or registrant;
   (c)  any individual with access to non-public confidential information
 about contests;
   (d) any amateur or professional athlete whose performance may be  used
 to determine the outcome of a contest;
   (e) any sports agent, team employee, referee, or league official asso-
 ciated with any sport or athletic event on which contests are based;
   (f) any individual located in a state where the conduct of contests is
 expressly prohibited; or
   (g) any minor.
   [15.]  11.  "MINOR"  SHALL MEAN ANY PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE
 YEARS.
   12. "Prohibited sports event"  shall  mean  any  collegiate  sport  or
 athletic  event,  any  high  school sport or athletic event or any horse
 racing event.
   [16.] 13. "Resident  percentage"  shall  mean,  for  each  interactive
 fantasy  sports contest, the percentage, rounded to the nearest tenth of
 a percent, of the total entry fees collected from players located in New
 York state, divided by the total entry fees collected from  all  players
 in interactive fantasy sports contests not prohibited in New York state.
   [17.  "Sports  event"  shall mean any amateur or professional sport or
 athletic event, except a prohibited sports event.]
   14. "INTERACTIVE FANTASY SPORTS GROSS REVENUE" SHALL MEAN  THE  AMOUNT
 EQUAL  TO THE TOTAL OF ALL ENTRY FEES NOT ATTRIBUTABLE TO NEW YORK STATE
 PROHIBITED SPORTS EVENTS THAT A REGISTRANT COLLECTS  FROM  ALL  PLAYERS,
 LESS THE TOTAL OF ALL SUMS NOT ATTRIBUTABLE TO NEW YORK STATE PROHIBITED
 SPORTS  EVENTS  PAID  OUT  AS WINNINGS TO ALL PLAYERS, MULTIPLIED BY THE
 RESIDENT PERCENTAGE FOR NEW YORK  STATE;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT  THE
 TOTAL  OF ALL SUMS PAID OUT AS WINNINGS TO PLAYERS SHALL NOT INCLUDE THE
 CASH EQUIVALENT VALUE OF ANY MERCHANDISE OR ITEM OF VALUE AWARDED  AS  A
 PRIZE.
   §  2.  Section  1402  of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding
 law, as added by chapter 237 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read  as
 follows:
 S. 2617                             4
 
   §  1402.  Registration. 1. [(a)] No operator shall administer, manage,
 or otherwise make available an interactive fantasy  sports  platform  to
 persons  located in New York state unless registered with the commission
 pursuant to section fourteen hundred three of this article. A registrant
 may use multiple interactive fantasy sports platforms and offer multiple
 types  of contests, provided that each platform and each type of contest
 has been reviewed and approved by the commission. This article, and  any
 and  all rules and regulations adopted under the authority of this arti-
 cle, shall apply only to interactive fantasy sports contests  for  which
 an authorized player pays an entry fee.
   [(b) Any operator that was offering contests to persons located in New
 York  state  prior  to  the tenth of November, two thousand fifteen, may
 continue to offer contests to persons located in New  York  state  until
 such operator's application for registration has been approved or denied
 in  accordance  with  section  fourteen  hundred  three of this article,
 provided that such operator receives  a  temporary  permit  pursuant  to
 subdivision  two  of this section and files an application for registra-
 tion with the commission within ninety days of the promulgation of regu-
 lations to effectuate this article.]
   2. [The commission shall provide a temporary permit to  each  operator
 that  was offering contests pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision one
 of this section to  allow  such  operator  to  continue  to  offer  such
 contests,  on a provisional basis, until such operator's application for
 registration has been approved or  denied  in  accordance  with  section
 fourteen  hundred  three  of  this  article, provided that such operator
 meets all the requirements in section  fourteen  hundred  four  of  this
 article.
   3.]  Registrations issued by the commission shall remain in effect for
 [three] FIVE  years.  The  commission  shall  establish  a  process  for
 renewal.  THE RENEWAL FEE FOR ALL INTERACTIVE FANTASY SPORTS REGISTRANTS
 SHALL BE ONE PERCENT OF INTERACTIVE FANTASY SPORTS  GROSS  REVENUES  FOR
 THE PRECEDING PERIOD OF REGISTRATION.
   3.  THE  INITIAL  REGISTRATION  FEE  FOR AN INTERACTIVE FANTASY SPORTS
 OPERATOR SHALL BE FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.
   4. Interactive fantasy sports contests  offered  by  a  registrant  in
 accordance  with  the  provisions  of  this article shall not constitute
 gambling as defined in article two hundred twenty-five of the penal law.
   5. The commission shall publish a list of all operators registered  in
 New  York state pursuant to this section on the commission's website for
 public use.
   [6. The commission  shall  promulgate  regulations  to  implement  the
 provisions  of  this  article,  including the development of the initial
 form of the application for registration. Such regulations shall provide
 for the registration and operation of contests in  New  York  state  and
 shall  include,  but  not  be  limited  to, responsible protections with
 regard to compulsive play and safeguards for fair play.]
   § 3. The opening paragraph of subdivision 4 of  section  1403  of  the
 racing,  pari-mutuel  wagering and breeding law, as added by chapter 237
 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
   Upon receipt of criminal history information pursuant  to  subdivision
 three  of  this  section,  the  commission shall make a determination to
 approve or deny an application for registration; provided, however, that
 before making a determination on such application, the commission  shall
 provide  the  subject of the record with a copy of such criminal history
 information and a copy of article twenty-three-A of the  correction  law
 and inform such prospective applicant seeking to be credentialed of [his
 S. 2617                             5

 or  her]  SUCH  PROSPECTIVE  APPLICANT'S right to seek correction of any
 incorrect information contained in  such  criminal  history  information
 pursuant  to  the regulations and procedures established by the division
 of criminal justice services. The commission [shall] MAY deny any appli-
 cation  for  registration,  or  suspend,  refuse to renew, or revoke any
 existing registration issued pursuant to this article, upon the  finding
 that  the  operator or registrant, or any partner, officer, director, or
 shareholder:
   § 4. Paragraphs (o) and (q) of subdivision 1 of section  1404  of  the
 racing,  pari-mutuel  wagering and breeding law, as added by chapter 237
 of the laws of 2016, are amended to read as follows:
   (o) ensure all winning outcomes reflect  the  relative  knowledge  and
 skill  of  the  authorized [players] CONTESTANTS and shall be determined
 predominantly by ONE OR MORE  accumulated  statistical  results  of  the
 performance of individuals in sports events;
   (q)  ensure no winning outcome shall be based solely on [any] A single
 performance of an individual athlete  in  a  single  sport  or  athletic
 event; and
   § 5. Section 1405 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law
 is  amended  by  adding  four  new subdivisions 3, 4, 5 and 6 to read as
 follows:
   3. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER  SHALL  BE  CONSTRUED  LIBERALLY  TO
 PROMOTE  THE  GENERAL WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC AND INTEGRITY OF THE FANTASY
 SPORTS INDUSTRY. HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION MAY NOT ADOPT RULES LIMITING OR
 REGULATING THE RULES OR  ADMINISTRATION  OF  AN  INDIVIDUAL  INTERACTIVE
 FANTASY  CONTEST,  THE  STATISTICAL  MAKEUP OF A FANTASY CONTEST, OR THE
 DIGITAL PLATFORM OF A FANTASY CONTEST OPERATOR. FURTHER, THE  COMMISSION
 MAY  NOT  IN  ANY  WAY  LIMIT  OR RESTRICT THE TYPES OF FANTASY CONTESTS
 ALLOWED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE,  BY  LABELING  ANY  SUCH  CONTESTS  AS
 SPORTS  WAGERING AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH (X) OF SUBDIVISION
 ONE OF SECTION THIRTEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN OF THIS CHAPTER.
   4. THE COMMISSION SHALL VERIFY  THAT  OPERATORS  DEPLOY  IDENTITY  AND
 GEOLOCATION  VERIFICATION  PROCEDURES,  WHICH  MAY  REQUIRE THE USE OF A
 REPUTABLE, INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY THAT IS IN THE BUSINESS OF  VERIFYING
 AN  INDIVIDUAL'S  PERSONALLY  IDENTIFIABLE  INFORMATION  AND  CAN DETECT
 POTENTIAL PROHIBITED PARTICIPANTS.
   5. THE COMMISSION SHALL VERIFY THAT  OPERATORS  EMPLOY  MECHANISMS  ON
 SUCH  OPERATOR'S  PLATFORM THAT ARE DESIGNED TO DETECT AND PREVENT UNAU-
 THORIZED ACCOUNTS, AND TO DETECT AND PREVENT  FRAUD,  MONEY  LAUNDERING,
 AND COLLUSION.
   6. WITHIN ONE HUNDRED TWENTY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDI-
 VISION,  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL  REVIEW  AND  REVISE ITS CURRENT FANTASY
 SPORTS RULES AND REGULATIONS, AS SET FORTH IN 9  NYCRR  §§  5600-5613.4,
 AND  PROMULGATE  ANY NEEDED NEW RULES IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE AND ENFORCE
 ALL PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 6. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of  section  1406  of  the
 racing,  pari-mutuel  wagering and breeding law, as added by chapter 237
 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
   Each [registrant] OPERATOR shall  annually  submit  a  report  to  the
 commission no later than the thirtieth of June of each year, which shall
 include  the following information as it shall apply to accounts held by
 authorized players located in New York state:
   § 7. Section 1408 of the racing,  pari-mutuel  wagering  and  breeding
 law,  as added by chapter 237 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as
 follows:
 S. 2617                             6
 
   § 1408. Additional regulatory costs. The commission may assess annual-
 ly, in arrears, on each [registrant] OPERATOR proportional to the inter-
 active fantasy sports gross revenue of such registrant in the  preceding
 year  compared to the aggregate interactive fantasy sports gross revenue
 of all registrants in the preceding year actual costs necessary to regu-
 late in accordance with the provisions of this article. Such assessments
 shall be made only within amounts appropriated therefor.
   § 8. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S2617

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S2617

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Racing, Gaming And Wagering Committee

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2617 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments