As mobile sports betting has become increasingly legalized across the country in recent years, New Yorkers have been left out, forced to go to a neighboring state or find other means to make their PGA Tour or NFL bets each week.
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But now residents of the state with the fourth-biggest population in the country can get into the action openly and legally.
At 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, the mobile betting gates were opened to New York-based bettors after the state’s Gaming Commission permitted four mobile betting operators to start taking sports bets in the state.
The change comes after New York lawmakers included an exemption for mobile sports betting in the state budget last April. Four operators, who will pay a 51% tax on revenue, are currently permitted to offer wagers, including DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook and BetRivers. In all, the Gaming Commission will issue nine licenses for mobile betting, with operators BallyBet, BetMGM, Wynn Interactive, Resorts World Bet and PointsBet awaiting final approval, according to Gothamist.
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Betting on professional golf has been growing in popularity in recent years, with the PGA Tour even partnering with FanDuel to increase gambling’s presence on the top golf tour in the world. The Tour recently announced a three-year extension of the Fanduel partnership through 2024.
Given that the betting change went into effect on Saturday, hours before the start of the third round of the Tournament of Champions, this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii will be the first chance for New Yorkers to wager on the full-flight of tournament bets from the comfort of their own homes.
If you want to take part in the action, get your bets in soon. The Sony Open kicks off Thursday afternoon at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu.