New York Lawmaker Says Legal iGaming Is “Perpetually Five Years Out”

New York City skyline with online casino games and poker chips representing stalled iGaming legislation.

By Sandra Gaweda · September 1, 2026 · 7 min read

New York Assembly member Carrie Woerner, who chairs the Assembly racing and gaming committee, said legal iGaming in the state is “perpetually five years out.”
She blamed stagnant consumer spending and pointed to lawmaker wariness that online sports betting never triggered for iGaming.
Online poker is still not regulated in New York, so there are no licensed in-state real-money sites for players right now.
Woerner also floated a narrower bill that would treat certain online poker games as games of skill if broader iGaming stalls.

New York iGaming Legalization Faces Another Long Wait

If you’re a New York poker player waiting for legal online games, the wait just got longer. Assemblymember Carrie Woerner (D-Round Lake), who chairs the Assembly committee on racing and gaming, told a panel at The Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga that legalizing online casino and poker (iGaming) is “perpetually five years out.” Gambling Insider reporter Steve Bittenbender covered the remarks, published August 13, 2026. The takeaway for players is simple: online poker is still not regulated in New York, and there is no licensed in-state option on the horizon this year. Below is what Woerner said, why New York iGaming keeps stalling, and what your options look like in the meantime.

What Woerner Said At Saratoga

Speaking on a panel in Saratoga Springs, Woerner framed iGaming as a goal that never quite arrives. She cited weak consumer spending as a core reason. “We’re seeing a stagnation of disposable income in the economy generally,” she said, adding that money spent on gambling is money not spent going out to dinner, to the movies, or shopping on Main Street.

That argument matters because Woerner isn’t a bystander. As chair of the committee that handles gaming, she is one of the people who decides whether these bills move. When the person holding the gavel calls legalization “perpetually five years out,” the odds of a quick breakthrough drop.

Why New York iGaming Keeps Stalling

Online sports betting had a grassroots groundswell after the 2018 US Supreme Court decision opened the door. iGaming never got that. Instead, heavy sports-betting advertising and worries about underage access have left many lawmakers cautious about adding online casino games and poker to the mix.

New York does have active legislation. In January 2026, Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. and Woerner reintroduced bills to legalize online poker and other online casino games. SB 2614 and its Assembly companion included a 30.5% tax rate. You can track where those proposals stand on our guide to US online poker bills, and see the full picture of New York online poker laws on our state page. One of the bigger obstacles in Albany is the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC), the most persistent iGaming opponent in the state.

The bills also carry a benefit that matters to players. If New York joins the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), it could share player pools with states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania. That would mean bigger fields and better games. Our shared liquidity guide explains how that pooling works and why it improves the experience.

A Narrower Path: Poker As A Game Of Skill

There’s a poker-specific angle worth watching. According to Legal Sports Report, Woerner also introduced separate legislation that would classify certain online poker games as games of skill. If broader iGaming legalization stalls, that approach could create a more limited regulatory option for poker on its own.

For players, that distinction is a big deal. A game-of-skill classification treats poker differently from slots and table games. It could give New York a path to regulated online poker even if the full casino package remains stalled.

Where iGaming Stands Nationally

Seven states currently offer licensed iGaming apps, or eight if you count Nevada, which has online poker. The industry is clustered in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast rather than spread across the country. More than 200 conference attendees were polled on how many states would offer iGaming within five years. The most popular answer was 10 to 20 states.

If New York iGaming remains stalled, other states look more likely to move next. Virginia was on the brink in 2026 and could get across the finish line in 2027. Maryland, Indiana, and the District of Columbia are also in the conversation. You can compare each state’s status on our overview of US poker legislation by state.

What New Yorkers Can Do Right Now

Here’s the clear line players need: online poker is not regulated in New York, and there are no licensed in-state real-money online poker sites. Regulated US online poker is live and playable in six states: Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia.

That’s why some New Yorkers travel to New Jersey or Pennsylvania to play on licensed sites while physically inside those states. It’s a workaround, not a local option. You must be physically located in a state where online poker is legal and regulated.

What This Means

For New York poker players, the honest read is patience. The chair of the committee that would advance these bills just called legal iGaming “perpetually five years out” and even a surprise yes vote wouldn’t put games on your phone overnight. New York legalized mobile sports betting in 2021, but it didn’t launch until early 2022 after rulemaking. Expect a similar gap if online poker ever passes. For now, watch the game-of-skill bill, keep an eye on Virginia as the likelier next domino, and know that your only regulated options remain in states that already license online poker.

Sandra is a content writer and editor specializing in online poker and iGaming. She covers poker sites, game formats, industry news, and US online poker laws for Legal US Poker Sites.