New York could ban live wagers as sports betting laws evolve
Some in the state of New York are pushing to ban live and in-play wagers on sportsbooks, a decision that has frustrated sports bettors and operators across the state as the sports betting landscape and related laws continue to change and evolve across US states.
Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal introduced Assembly Bill A.9343, which aims to prohibit casinos and online sportsbooks from allowing live, in-play bets once a given game has started. Live bets can now be made during a match, allowing bettors to react to sudden changes in the match, such as player performance or injury.
Live bets make up over half of sports betting wagers in the state, with some research indicating that those who place live bets spend more per month than those who prefer pre-match betting, in part because live bets tend to represent higher per-bet amounts. And as live betting grows in popularity and the revenue it generates, some are wondering why New York lawmakers are so seemingly concerned.
New York’s live betting concerns
Assemblywoman Rosenthal has attempted to emphasize the riskiness of live betting in the proposed bill. When bettors place live bets, they often wager more money due to the excitement of the match. Rosenthal put forward that the higher wager sizes typically involved in live sports betting could make the practice more difficult for players to control.
One study outlined in Assembly Bill A.9343 claims live bettors are more likely to face gambling issues than those who place pre-game wagers. The rapid and accessible nature of live betting is the issue, at least according to Rosenthal. Not everyone agrees, however.
Opponents of the bill suggest that there’s little practical difference between pre-match wagers made on online betting sites and live, in-play bets. If one is discouraged, the other is likely to see an uptick in activity. And given that sports betting is legal in the state of New York, the bill’s opponents argue that bettors should be free to make their own choices so long as they play through registered and regulated operators and platforms.
Is New York cracking down on sports betting?
If Assembly Bill A.9343 goes through, New York would become the first major sports betting market in the United States to ban live betting, which for some could feel like a crackdown on the marketplace. While it does feel extreme to its opponents, the bill doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise.
Image credit: Lynne Sladky / AP
New York has been attempting to further regulate sports betting for a while. Other proposed bills include A.9125, which would prevent sportsbooks from banning or limiting players for winning, while A.7962 would limit how often bettors can add funds to their sportsbook accounts. This bill would also limit how often sports betting ads could run, including during live sporting events and during certain hours of the day.
The rash of potential restrictions and added guardrails has led some to question why the state of New York would make such efforts when sports betting is still broadly legal in the US state.
It’s believed that recent sports betting scandals have caused the New York state government to grow more weary of the edges of the sports betting market. Athletes across the NBA and MLB have been caught making illegal sports bets or sharing insider information to aid bettors in high-profile cases that increased public scrutiny.
In 2025, Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were investigated for suspicious gambling activity. Ortiz was placed on a “paid leave” by the MLB while Rozier was arrested in October 2025 along with 33 others for using private insider NBA information in a sports betting scheme.
[Featured Image: Marco Bottigelli/Getty Images]
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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