Listen up, degenerates. If you're one of the millions of New Yorkers who love hammering live bets during games, you might want to sit down for this one.

Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal has introduced Bill A9343, which would completely ban in-play sports betting in New York. Not restrict it. Not add warnings. Ban it entirely. As in, once a game tips off, you're done betting on it.

The Quick Hit

• What happened: NY lawmaker introduces bill to ban all live betting statewide
• The damage: Live betting accounts for 70-80% of some sportsbooks' handle
• Why you should care: If you bet in NY, this kills most of your action
• The move: Pray this dies in committee like most bad ideas

What's Actually In This Bill

The proposal is simple and brutal: once a sporting event begins, no more bets can be placed. Zero. Zilch. That second-half line you love? Gone. That live player prop when a guy's heating up? Dead. The whole live betting ecosystem would vanish overnight.

Rosenthal cited a National Council on Problem Gambling study from 2024 that found 20 million Americans showed at least one indicator of problem gambling behavior. She's also pointing to the betting scandals that rocked 2025, including those MLB pitchers and NBA prop controversies.

The Money Problem Nobody's Ignoring

Here's where it gets interesting. New Yorkers wagered nearly $24 billion on sports last fiscal year. That number's projected to hit $25 billion this year. And live betting? It drives over $10 billion of that volume.

New York's 51% tax rate on sportsbooks generated over $1 billion for the state last year. You want to know what happens when you cut the betting volume in half? That tax revenue doesn't look so pretty anymore.

The Empire State just became the most aggressive sports betting market in the country, and now they want to kneecap their own golden goose.

Will This Actually Pass?

Probably not. The financial hit alone makes this politically radioactive. You're essentially asking legislators to vote for a massive revenue cut during budget season. That's a tough sell.

But the fact that we're even having this conversation tells you where the wind is blowing. Between DraftKings and FanDuel ditching the AGA over prediction markets, Chicago trying to slap a 10% tax on sportsbooks, and now this—the regulatory environment is getting hostile.

New Jersey already has bills targeting micro-bets on things like individual pitches. The dominoes are wobbling.

The Bottom Line

This bill is a symptom of a larger backlash against sports betting expansion. Public opinion has shifted—43% of Americans now say legalized betting is bad for society, up from 34% in 2022. Politicians are noticing.

For now, keep live betting while you can. And if you're in New York, maybe call your assemblymember and explain that adults can make their own decisions about how to spend their money on a Saturday afternoon. Just a thought.