A New York legislator has introduced a bill calling on the state regulator to crack down on “predatory sportsbook bonuses”.
The bill – Senate Bill 9605 – was introduced by senator Pete Harckham.
It says that the New York State Gaming Commission must “promulgate rules and regulations regarding predatory sportsbook bonuses in mobile sports betting, including but not limited to, deposit, matching, risk-free betting, free money, free bets, site credits and profit boosts”.
It did not, however, provide any detail on what action the regulator should take against these, such as whether the so-called “predatory” promotions should be banned or simply face tighter rules.
The introduction of the bill follows a the publication series of articles about the sports betting industry two weeks ago in the New York Times. These articles, discussing industry lobbying and marketing tactics, were criticised by a number of industry trade groups and individuals.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Rules Committee.
Online sports betting has been legal in New York since January of this year, with eight operators permitted to take bets. Despite a 51% tax rate that has eaten into those operators’ ability to make a profit, large bonuses have still been common, with Caesars launching a $3,000 deposit match promotion in the state.