Well, that didn’t take long. 482p20

Just five days after a bill to legalize online casino and poker was filed in New York, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled an executive budget that doesn’t include either.

The 144-page budget came in at $233 billion, but didn’t include the estimated $475 million in revenue that expanded igaming could bring to the Empire State. Inclusion of that potential revenue would have been a clear sign Hochul s expanding igaming.

But by omitting the $475 million revenue estimate, Hochul has given a clear sign that NY online poker and casino gaming do not have her — at least not yet.

The omission is not a surprise, but it was likely noticed by lawmakers in the New York State Legislature, who until now have shown tepid for expanded igaming — although they did agree to launch mobile sports betting two years ago.

Lawmakers in the Assembly and the Senate will now work on separate one-house budgets for the 2024-2025 fiscal year (FY). The state constitution requires final approval of the annual budget by April 1.

Hochul also excluded expanded igaming from her executive budget for FY 2023-2024.

Despite Hochul’s decision not to include potential revenue from online casino and poker in her executive budget, there’s still a chance that a bill introduced last Thursday by Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) could win age in the legislature.

If that happens, lawmakers will likely enter into negotiations with the governor over the details for a launch of online casino and poker.

S8185 calls for legalizing online casino and poker, and would levy a tax rate of 30.5% on the former. The state would issue 10-year interactive gaming licenses, three of which would be awarded through a competitive bidding process. Each license would cost $2 million and have an initial 10-year term.

Addabbo did not issue a statement on Hochul’s budget, and his office did not return a message seeking comment late Tuesday.

Contrast that with one year ago, when expanded igaming didn’t make the final budget for FY 2023-2024. At the time, Addabbo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming, and Wagering, said in an New York.

Hochul didn’t mention any gambling-related topics during a press conference Tuesday. But last Friday, she announced that sports betting had generated a $19 million handle during its second year of operation.

“Over the last two years, New York is the clear leader in providing responsible entertainment for millions while bringing in record-shattering revenue for education, youth sports, and problem gambling prevention,” Hochul said. “I look forward to this third year of our successful gaming policies that deliver top-tier mobile sports wagering experiences.”

Hochul’s budget wasn’t completely devoid of anything gaming related. On the contrary — the budget includes two gaming initiatives.

The first initiative calls for extending parimutuel tax rates and simulcast provisions for one year. Meanwhile, off-track betting (OTB) corporations would get another year to use up to $1 million of their capital acquisition fund for operational expenses.