When New York online casino legislation didn’t go anywhere last year, legislative sponsors said the biggest reason was opposition from the New York Hotel and Gaming Trades Council.
In response, Sen. Joe Addabbo added a $25 million fund for casino workers to this year’s bill to alleviate any cannibalization concerns.
But the fund was not enough to gain the support of the AFL-CIO union. Bhav Tibrewal, political director for the Hotel Trades Council (HTC), explained to PlayUSA: “It will again be true that labor concerns will be the biggest reason that iGaming doesn’t happen in New York this year.”
Tibrewal is unapologetic about the union standing in the way of the people who want online casinos to come to New York.
