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Wanna Bet?
Jan. 23rd, 2022 03:50 pmThe final two of the NFL's four second-round playoff games take place beginning this afternoon. Yesterday's openers produced upsets of the two teams seeded first in their conferences, and, since last year, the only teams given a "bye" from playing in the opening round. Up first today is Tampa-LA, where the hated Tom Brady tries to move on to the NFC title game at the age of 98. Then our beloved Bills will take on KC on the road; if we win, thanks to yesterday's AFC upset, Buffalo would come home for the conference championship next Sunday against Cincinnati.
I offer no predictions and have no skill for analysis. I'm here to talk about the sudden avalanche of gambling opportunities on these contests here in New York State. It's absolutely everywhere in media, traditional and social. As part of a balance-the-budget effort in Albany, and following a 2018 US Supreme Court decision that overturned an act of Congress limiting "sports books" to mostly Nevada, New York got "in on the action." At first, they only allowed it at its few and far between in-person casinos, but they also began the process of authorizing online marketers. Several met the steep requirements and agreed to the even steeper taxation of their profits, and the whole business went live on January 8- just in time for the opening of NFL playoffs.
Some of the playahs in this new field are longtime Vegas casino names in the bookie business- Caesar's and MGM- but another two were approved who got their start by claiming, no, this really isn't gambling! That would be the main competing fantasy sports leaders, Draftkings and FanDuel. A few years ago before betting on actual games was allowed outside Nevada, they began turning "fantasy league" entertainment into a for-profit model. Unlike the less formal "leagues" formed among friends and coworkers with drafts of seasonlong teams, these two offered the chance to form a new team one game at a time. New York, among others, shut them down because the winnings on these contests were considered gambling rather than skill contests. But then Albany welcomed them back in with open arms (and even more open hands to grab the taxes) when they each applied to offer online sports books on real games. Because some in the Lej remembered the college basketball point-shaving scandals in the 50s, the only off-limit contests are collegiate sporting events involving teams based in New York. But the state's pro teams are perfectly fair game!
And that game is most definitely on. In just the first weekend of online betting being allowed, Noo Yawkahs dropped $150 million into the coffers of those approved sportsbooks, and that was before the NFL playoffs even began. In the two weeks since then, airwaves and Facebook feeds have overflowed with adverts for the competing services. It's particularly noticeable on sports talk radio, where every commercial break now features ads, sometimes one right after the other, for at least three of the books, falling over themselves to offer ridiculous come-ons to get new addicts to the table. One of them promised a 150:1 return on any of the eight teams playing this weekend. If that sounds too good to be true, listen to the fastgtalkingmanattheendofthecommercial: Must be 21+ and present in NY. First online real money wager only. Refund issued as nonwithdrawable site credit that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at blahblah dot.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369).
Yeah. Put a tollfree number and text link at the end of the ad after offering to tickle their temptation with ridiculous odds. It sounded all too much like one of Tom Lehrer's oldest songs about another addictive behavior: The Old Dope Peddler.
He gives the kids free samples
Because he knows full well
That today's young innocent faces
Will be tomorrow's clientele
Don't worry about me getting sucked into this. I have no interest, experience or, face it, LUCK when it comes to betting in any form. But I do understand other forms of addictive behaviors, and how hard they are to break when you've gotten hooked. This state has much more experience, and does a much better job, with combating alcohol addiction at the source. They take the age limit very seriously and fine or ban liquor license holders who get caught letting Junior imbibe. More to the point about the "150:1 odds" come-on, they prohibit bars from offering "all you can drink" promotions or anything brazenly intended to get around it. And surprise surprise, right on every page of the State Liquor Authority website is a link to a highlight:
The SLA understands that it is now legal for New Yorkers to place bets on sporting events through online services. It remains illegal, however for businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages – including restaurants and taverns -- to “suffer and permit gambling on the licensed premises.” See, e.g., Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Section 106(6). The SLA will not be charging licensees if individuals are placing bets on their telephones with legally authorized sites while at the premises of a licensed retailer, but if licensees promote gambling at their premises in any way, or allow others to promote gambling at their premises, they will be violating the law and subject to charges.
Hopefully once the novelty wears off, these come-ons will be less of a distraction for me and a danger for others. It's going to take more than a fast-talking disclaimer at the end of an ad for one before I'll be willing to bet on that, though.
I offer no predictions and have no skill for analysis. I'm here to talk about the sudden avalanche of gambling opportunities on these contests here in New York State. It's absolutely everywhere in media, traditional and social. As part of a balance-the-budget effort in Albany, and following a 2018 US Supreme Court decision that overturned an act of Congress limiting "sports books" to mostly Nevada, New York got "in on the action." At first, they only allowed it at its few and far between in-person casinos, but they also began the process of authorizing online marketers. Several met the steep requirements and agreed to the even steeper taxation of their profits, and the whole business went live on January 8- just in time for the opening of NFL playoffs.
Some of the playahs in this new field are longtime Vegas casino names in the bookie business- Caesar's and MGM- but another two were approved who got their start by claiming, no, this really isn't gambling! That would be the main competing fantasy sports leaders, Draftkings and FanDuel. A few years ago before betting on actual games was allowed outside Nevada, they began turning "fantasy league" entertainment into a for-profit model. Unlike the less formal "leagues" formed among friends and coworkers with drafts of seasonlong teams, these two offered the chance to form a new team one game at a time. New York, among others, shut them down because the winnings on these contests were considered gambling rather than skill contests. But then Albany welcomed them back in with open arms (and even more open hands to grab the taxes) when they each applied to offer online sports books on real games. Because some in the Lej remembered the college basketball point-shaving scandals in the 50s, the only off-limit contests are collegiate sporting events involving teams based in New York. But the state's pro teams are perfectly fair game!
And that game is most definitely on. In just the first weekend of online betting being allowed, Noo Yawkahs dropped $150 million into the coffers of those approved sportsbooks, and that was before the NFL playoffs even began. In the two weeks since then, airwaves and Facebook feeds have overflowed with adverts for the competing services. It's particularly noticeable on sports talk radio, where every commercial break now features ads, sometimes one right after the other, for at least three of the books, falling over themselves to offer ridiculous come-ons to get new addicts to the table. One of them promised a 150:1 return on any of the eight teams playing this weekend. If that sounds too good to be true, listen to the fastgtalkingmanattheendofthecommercial: Must be 21+ and present in NY. First online real money wager only. Refund issued as nonwithdrawable site credit that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at blahblah dot.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369).
Yeah. Put a tollfree number and text link at the end of the ad after offering to tickle their temptation with ridiculous odds. It sounded all too much like one of Tom Lehrer's oldest songs about another addictive behavior: The Old Dope Peddler.
He gives the kids free samples
Because he knows full well
That today's young innocent faces
Will be tomorrow's clientele
Don't worry about me getting sucked into this. I have no interest, experience or, face it, LUCK when it comes to betting in any form. But I do understand other forms of addictive behaviors, and how hard they are to break when you've gotten hooked. This state has much more experience, and does a much better job, with combating alcohol addiction at the source. They take the age limit very seriously and fine or ban liquor license holders who get caught letting Junior imbibe. More to the point about the "150:1 odds" come-on, they prohibit bars from offering "all you can drink" promotions or anything brazenly intended to get around it. And surprise surprise, right on every page of the State Liquor Authority website is a link to a highlight:
The SLA understands that it is now legal for New Yorkers to place bets on sporting events through online services. It remains illegal, however for businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages – including restaurants and taverns -- to “suffer and permit gambling on the licensed premises.” See, e.g., Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Section 106(6). The SLA will not be charging licensees if individuals are placing bets on their telephones with legally authorized sites while at the premises of a licensed retailer, but if licensees promote gambling at their premises in any way, or allow others to promote gambling at their premises, they will be violating the law and subject to charges.
Hopefully once the novelty wears off, these come-ons will be less of a distraction for me and a danger for others. It's going to take more than a fast-talking disclaimer at the end of an ad for one before I'll be willing to bet on that, though.