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Sports Betting Kiosks Could Come to New York Horse Tracks

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 17 April 2023

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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Sports betting fans across New York could soon have another option available to them when it comes to placing bets. This could come in the event of the success of a new proposal in the state which would see New York horse tracks being granted permission to have sports betting kiosks.

The expansion of sports betting facilities would mean that fans can place bets on horses and on their favorite sports events and teams when visiting the tracks. The move would mean an increase in sports betting facilities for fans in the state, as they will be able to place bets in person at horse tracks as well as casinos.

It would also mean a boost in funding for education in the state as a result of the increase in sports betting revenue from taxes. The bill, A5923, comes just over a year after online sports betting in New York was legalized.

Most Tracks Currently Do Not Offer Sports Betting

At present, most of the horse tracks in New York do not offer sports betting facilities, which are offered exclusively at tribal and commercial casinos in the state. Tioga Downs does have a class III casino in addition to the track, so it does have an in-person sportsbook. However, most other tracks do not have a casino license.

If the bill is successful, it could give many of these horse tracks new opportunities when it comes to expanding their offerings and boosting income and revenue.

Concerns Betting Kiosks Won’t Be Popular at Tracks

There is a chance that some horse tracks might not jump on board even if the bill is successful, as some people think that sports betting might not be that popular with those who attend horse tracks.

According to PlayUSA:

First, results from other places where horse tracks can offer bets on human sports show limited crossover. It’s unclear if New Yorkers would behave differently. The prevailing wisdom is that people who bet on horses and people who bet on sports are different crowds.

Another reason why horse racing tracks might not be jumping through hoops to offer sports betting at their facilities is because of the impact of online sports betting. With people in New York now able to place bets online with ease and convenience, the number of people who want to go out and bet in person is limited.

With casinos in the state already offering in-person betting for those who want it, horse tracks might not think it is worth investing money to offer in-person betting at their facilities.

For some, there would be a lot of expense involved before being able to offer sports betting, and this includes the lease of equipment and set-up expenses. Because of the various other options that sports bettors now have, coupled with the potentially limited crossover, some might see this as a lot of investment for a limited return.

However, this is something that most horse tracks will most likely look into more closely if the bill is signed into law.