Landbased and Online Casinos in NY

We’re here to explain the legal status of online gambling within New York (NY), and to keep you updated on the legalization of New York’s online casino scene.

The Legal Status of Online Casinos

The situation around the legalization of online casinos in the Empire State is a tricky one, so our experts have answered some of the most common questions that people ask.

So if I Cannot Play, What are My Options?

Whilst we await further developments on the legalization of online casinos in New York, we recommend going to one of the following brick-and-mortar casinos, where you can play legally and responsibly:

Other Online Alternatives

As well as real money casinos, there are other alternatives available in which you don’t have to play games with real money. These are known as sweepstakes casinos or social casinos.

Sweepstakes Casinos

Unlike real money casinos, sweepstakes casinos operate slightly differently. They operate online and see players purchase virtual currencies that they play with instead. So you are not technically, playing with real money. Think of it like buying chips in a brick-and-mortar casino.

Many sweepstakes casinos will even offer you free currency for signing up or completing certain actions like following them on their social channels. This way, you don’t always require to put any real money in at all. However, you can still redeem the virtual currency for cold hard cash once you’re finished playing, so you still have the chance to win big.

Social Casinos

Social casinos are similar to an extent. They too operate online, but rather than being played with a number of people you’ve never met before, they operate by allowing you to play with friends. Think of it as having a poker night with friends, but instead of heading round to their house, you just do it online instead. 

You can find many popular social casinos now on social networks like Facebook, meaning you can play their games from any mobile device or a desktop PC. Making social casinos a very attractive alternative to NY online casinos because of how accessible they are.

Why You Should Only Play in Legal Casinos

There are a few quick and simple reasons really. Firstly, legal casinos are regulated. This means that these types of casinos are monitored and tested by the likes of the New York State Gaming Commission to ensure they offer fair experiences in order to get their licenses. This is to protect customers to ensure they are not being offered something that is not possible, like a $1 million jackpot on a slot machine that can’t actually be won.

Secondly, legal casinos are trained to look out for problem gamblers. Many even put money towards services that help people who fall into this category. Whereas illegal casinos will continue to try and take your money from you, and encourage you to keep spending more even when you’re losing more than you can afford to.

The final reason is that legal casinos are protected by insurance. This means if the worst was to happen and a casino went bankrupt and lost all its money, or it was the victim of an elaborate heist you’d expect in a Hollywood blockbuster, insurance companies will pay out what money is owed to those affected.

Responsible Gaming

When you choose to play at a NY online casino, or a brick-and-mortar casino, it’s important to ensure you play responsibly. This means you should:

Never bet when you can’t think clearly, whether intoxicated or in an unnatural state of mind such as being depressed.
Never bet more than you can afford to.
Never chase your losses. As experts, we can tell you now that never ends well.
Stop when it is no longer any fun to play.

If you feel like you are falling victim to problem gambling, and you are in need of help, there are a number of tools you can use to limit your gambling. One such service is self-exclusion, in which you can for a period, or indefinitely, ban yourself from being allowed to play in casinos.

There are also a number of charities that help as well, most are even funded by many of the best NY casinos, in their efforts to help tackle problem gambling. Here are a few that may come in handy should you need them:

• Gamblers Anonymous: gamblersanonymous.org, 1-213-386-8789
• New York State Office Of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services: oasas.state.ny.us, 1-877-8HOPENY
• National Council on Problem Gambling: ncpgambling.org, 1-800-522-4700

Which Games Are Most Popular in New York Casinos?

Players in New York love a bit of variety, so you will often see many people moving from game to game. However, there are those who have their own preferred games to play, either due to them having better payout percentages, or just because they enjoy the thrill of them more.

Following recent studies conducted over the past few years, these are the top five most popular games that players choose to play at the best NY casinos:

1. Blackjack – The all-time favorite, also known as 21
2. Roulette – One of the most luck-based games in any casino
3. Three Card Poker – Easy to learn, fun to play
4. Baccarat – One for the more experienced players
5. Craps – A game with dice that often draws a big crowd

Where in New York Would Online Casinos Prove Popular?

With the recent legalization of online sports betting, and the current push for online casinos to be legalized, the subject is becoming more popular each and every day.

Using Google Trends to search keywords such as “online casino” and “best online casino NY” we did some research of our own to see which areas in the Empire State, over the last 12 months, showed the biggest interest.

Here are our findings:

1. New York, NY
2. Utica, NY3
3. Elmira, NY
4. Binghamton, NY
5. Watertown, NY
6. Rochester, NY
7. Syracuse, NY
8. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
9. Buffalo, NY
10.  Burlington VT-Plattsburgh, NY

It is no surprise that New York City came out on top in our findings, after all, it has the largest population in the state. However, what was a shock in our findings was how many towns and cities don’t already have casinos and resorts near them. This shows that there is interest outside of the traditional areas that have had access to brick-and-mortar casinos in the past.