Griffo: Mobile sports betting must not cut out Upstate New York

As the debate continues over online sports betting in New York, state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-I-C-Rome, is calling on the legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to not pass a mobile sports provision as part of the budget that would cut out major parts of Upstate New York by not including tribal nations in the final bill. 

Under the Oneida Indian Nation’s settlement agreement with the state, as well as Oneida and Madison counties, gaming that is not routed through the Oneida Nation cannot take place in the Nation’s exclusivity zone. This zone includes the counties of Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego and Otsego. If the budget proposal were to be enacted, anyone living in these 10 counties would be prohibited from participating in mobile sports betting. 

Sen. Griffo said, “Cutting out major parts of Upstate New York from participating in mobile betting is terrible public policy and would be unfair to these residents. If tribal nations are not incorporated into the state’s final bill, we would potentially be disenfranchising millions of New Yorkers from participating in mobile sports betting and from the economic benefits it generates.”