Sweepstakes in NY monitored as casino board adds 2 new members

Article by : Charles Perrin Jan 29, 2025

• 
• 

The New York State Gaming Commission has recruited two new members to a board to oversee the casino licensing process.

Although the timeline for the awarding of three downstate licenses has been a bone of contention, the NYSG has approved and selected Marion Phillips III and Greg Reimers to join the New York Gaming Facility Location Board (NYGFLB) following a meeting earlier this week.

Currently, 11 bids are on the table, and competition has been fierce.

Major gambling operators such as Bally’s and MGM are in the mix, and it is strongly thought the licensees will be named by the end of the year.

Phillips III and Reimers will be tasked with poring over the candidates, and their credentials shouldn’t be understated.

Indeed, Phillips III is a former head of DEI for US News & World Report, while Reimers is a retired real estate executive.

Reimers, in particular, appears to be a suitable choice given his banking links. He was previously an executive vice president at the Bank of New York, while he was also a former managing director and marketing manager at JPMorgan Chase.

Previously, the board had been functioning 3 members, but the appointments of Phillips III and Reimers took the tally to 5.

More significantly, aside from presiding over the land-based casino licensing process, Phillips III and Reimers will be monitoring the sweepstakes situation.

Neighboring state New Jersey is considering introducing sweepstakes as a regulated form of gambling and taxing them in the same way as they do with online casinos and online sports betting brands.

While New York hasn’t taken action on sweepstakes as they are assessing the next steps, Gaming Commission Chair Brian O’Dwyer has some reservations about the prospect.

He said: “I have serious concerns that these groups are running afoul of state law.

“If this activity continues and is found to be in violation of New York state gaming law, I will do everything that I can to make sure that the law is upheld. It is serious and it is getting more and more serious.”

The board has plenty of food for thought over the coming months, and it will be intriguing to see how things play out.