State Senate passes Senator Kathy Marchione’s legislation allowing medium size video gaming facilities in New York State to receive additional investment

For Release: Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Albany, NY – Senator Kathy Marchione (R,C,I,Reform-Halfmoon), Chair of the Senate’s Local Government Committee, today announced the State Senate’s passage of her legislation that would allow medium size video gaming facilities in New York to receive additional investment. Senator Marchione’s legislation passed during today’s Senate Session by a vote of 58-2.

Senator Marchione’s legislation, Senate Bill S.4068, would amend the State Tax Law, in relation to video gaming machines (VGMs) and the disposition of revenues to allow medium size gaming facilities in New York State to receive additional investment by increasing the threshold of gaming machines from 1,100 to 1,900. Senator Marchione’s legislation would enable medium sized facilities, such as Saratoga, to be exempted from the matching requirement in the vendor capital awards program. The vendor capital awards program allows operators of gaming facilities to utilize four percent of their net win strictly for capital investment to improve their facilities. Currently, four smaller facilities – fewer than 1,100 machines – and the facility at Aqueduct have this benefit and a medium-sized facility does not. Penalizing quality operators who also have by far the lowest share of their gaming revenue among the New York operators hinders their ability to add more customer amenities and machines. The purse account, the facility, and the state all benefit when the business is grown.

“This legislation is all about fairness for Saratoga and ensuring a level playing field for our community’s video gaming facility to receive further investments that will support the facility, benefit our economy, help create more jobs and generate additional funding for education,” Senator Marchione said.

The Assembly companion measure for Senate Bill S.4068 is Assembly Bill A.5983, sponsored by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner (D-Round Lake). The Assembly version has been referred to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

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