Last year, sports betting finally came out of the shadows to operate in a safe, regulated market in several casinos across New York, including Rivers Casino here in Schenectady. The move gave our region another boost and the additional revenue generated for the state made it a win-win.

What started with a Supreme Court decision that paved the way for states to make their own decisions about sports betting now gives us another opportunity to boost our economy and create new jobs here in New York. With businesses operating under socially distancing guidelines, health and safety restrictions and doing all or some of their business virtually and online, now is the time for New York to take the next step and move forward with mobile sports betting. The additional revenue to the state would be coming at a time when more funding is needed to support our schools and provide much-needed aid to our local communities, making it a win-win once again.

As a member of the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee, I urge my colleagues in the Legislature to prioritize this measure in the upcoming session. The longer we wait on this, the more we lose out on a market that’s generating significant revenue in other states and could be part of the solution to address this year’s budget gap.