Mayor Adams signs legislation allowing gambling at sports venues

May 25, 2023

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/live/FcO3i4Go-eQ?feature=share

NEW YORK – New York Mayor Eric Adams signed Intro today. 891 – which will allow sports venues to hold games of chance, such as raffles, for charitable purposes – into the law.

“Today we hit a home run for New York City nonprofits,” Mayor Adams said. “New York City is home to some of the biggest sports teams in the country, and we love supporting them, especially when they give back to the community. Today, with the signing of this bill, we are stepping in and making it easier for Yankees, Mets and others to partner with charities to raise money for New Yorkers. We thank our partners in the Council for this legislation.

“Our local nonprofits are doing vital work to uplift the people of this city every day – from delivering hot meals to our older adults to providing after-school programs for our children,” said Maria-Torres Springer. , Deputy Mayor for Labor and Economic Development. “This legislation we are signing will give these organizations the ability to raise additional funds through gambling, allowing them to expand their missions and continue to make our city a better place to raise children and families by good health.”

“This legislation provides a level playing field for our local sports teams, aligning municipal regulations with state law,” said Vilda Vera Mayuga, commissioner of the City of New York. “Thank you to the City Council for working to modernize the gambling license, and to Mayor Adams for signing this home run law which gives our sports teams more flexibility to collect charitable donations. .”

Introduction. 891 allows sports venues throughout New York City to hold charity raffles at professional or collegiate sports competitions, provided certain conditions are met. Draws can be held from two hours before the start of the game until the end of the game. Under the law, iconic venues, such as Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and Madison Square Garden, will be able to run these raffles, allowing sites to partner with charities and increase their philanthropic work.

“By allowing raffles at sporting events, teams will be able to raise funds for the fight against hunger, veterans and other worthy causes for our borough and our city,” said the president of the Borough of the Bronx, Vanessa L. Gibson. “I want to thank City Council for moving this important legislation forward and Mayor Adams for signing Intro. 891 in law. With this bill, our city’s iconic places will now be able to increase their philanthropic work to support our communities that need it most.

“With the introduction of 50/50 fan raffles at sports venues across New York, we’ve paved the way for sports teams to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity each season,” said Rafael Salamanca, Jr. ., member of the New York City Council. “I would like to thank Mayor Adams for signing my bill into law today, bringing New York City into line with what is already allowed at sports venues in New York State – and virtually every other states across the country. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this new initiative will bring to our city.

“This bill creates the opportunity for New York City teams to raise money for charities in our communities. Here in the Bronx, we will be able to work with teams like the New York Yankees to support our philanthropic goals,” said Marjorie Velázquez, Member of the New York City Council. “It’s exciting, and I look forward to seeing our local teams being able to support the goals of the charitable community.”

“We are grateful that the city approved and signed the Intro Law. 891-A, which will provide millions of dollars in additional funding to community organizations that positively impact people’s lives in all five boroughs,” said Brian Smith, senior vice president of business/community relations for the New York Yankees. York. “The money raised will enable our community partners to provide increased programming and depth of service, strengthening some of the city’s most vital organizations.” We were excited to see this law come to fruition and are excited to see the benefits it will bring to New Yorkers in the years to come.

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