Mayor Adams Signs Legislation Allowing Games of Chance at Sporting Venues

May 25, 2023

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

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

“Today, we are hitting a home run for New York City nonprofits,” said Mayor Adams. “New York City is home to some of the greatest sporting teams in the nation, and we love supporting them — especially when they give back to the community. Today, with the signing of this bill into law, we are stepping up to the plate, and making it easier for the Yankees, the Mets, and others to partner with charitable organizations to raise money for New Yorkers. We thank our partners in the Council for this legislation.”

“Our local nonprofits do vital work to uplift the people of this city every day — from delivering hot meals to our older adults to providing afterschool programming to our children,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria-Torres Springer. “This legislation we are signing into law will provide these organizations the ability to raise additional funds through games of chance, allowing them to expand their missions and continue making our city a better place to raise healthy children and families.”

“This legislation provides a level playing field for our local sports teams, aligning city regulations with state law,” said New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “Thank you to the City Council for working to modernize the games of chance license, and to Mayor Adams for signing this home run legislation that provides our sports teams with more flexibility in raising charitable donations.”

Intro. 891 allows sports venues throughout New York City to conduct raffles for charitable purposes during professional or collegiate sporting competitions, provided certain conditions are met. Raffles may be conducted from two hours before the beginning of play until the end of play. Under the legislation, iconic venues, such as Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, and Madison Square Garden, will be able to conduct these raffles, allowing venues to team up with charitable organizations and increase their philanthropic work.

“By allowing raffles at sporting events, teams will be able to raise money for hunger relief, veterans, and other worthy causes for our borough and city,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “I want to thank the City Council for pushing this important legislation forward and Mayor Adams for signing Intro. 891 into law. With this bill, iconic venues throughout our city will now be able to increase their philanthropic work to support our communities that need it the most.”

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

“This bill creates the opportunity for New York City teams to raise funds for charitable organizations in our communities. Here in the Bronx, we’ll be able to work with teams like the New York Yankees to support our philanthropic goals,” said New York City Councilmember Marjorie Velázquez. “This is exciting, and I look forward to seeing our local teams being able to support charitable community goals.”

“We are thankful that the city has approved and signed into law Intro. 891-A, which will provide millions of dollars of additional funding for community-based organizations that positively impact the lives of people throughout the five boroughs,” said New York Yankees Senior Vice President of Corporate/Community Relations Brian Smith. “The money raised will allow our community partners to provide increased programming and depth of service, strengthening some of the city’s most vital organizations. We were passionate about seeing this law come to fruition and are excited to witness the benefits it will afford New Yorkers in the years to come.”

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