- New York online sports betting opened at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
- Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel and Rush Street Interactive are allowed to operate.
- New York will have the highest state tax rate on online sports betting at 51%.
NEW YORK - New York State opened its first online sportsbooks on Saturday, as bettors are able to sign up and place wagers.
This timing is fortuitous as they’ll get their books up and running before the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. In addition, they’ll have bets up on Week 18 of the NFL season, and should get all the possible revenue from NFL playoff betting.
The four sports betting companies currently open online are Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel and Rush Street Interactive.
Sportsbook Operators Pleased With Opportunity
The sportsbooks all seemed overjoyed to finally access the New York online gambling market, which had previously been driven to New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Chris Holdren, co-president of Caesars Digital, said in a statement that his company was grateful for the opportunity to run sports betting in New York.
"From Buffalo to the Bronx, New York is a special place and we're grateful for the chance to show the Empire State what it's like to be a part of the Caesars Empire," Holdren said.
While Richard Schwartz, CEO of Rush Street Interactive, called the launch “long-awaited” in a statement, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins used a company press release to express his excitement at the opportunity as well.
"We are excited to finally be able to offer millions of passionate New York sports fans the top rated DraftKings mobile and online Sportsbook.” said Robins.
All of these statements come despite the fact that New York will have the highest sportsbook tax rate in the entire country at 51%. This is certainly an opportunity for New York’s betting fans to get in on the action in a way they have never had the ability to do before.