New York Mulls Bill to Keep Sportsbooks from Limiting Big Winners

New York politicians are thinking about new rules that could change how online betting sites deal with their best customers. The suggested law, called Assembly Bill A9125 and nicknamed the “Fair Play Act,” aims to stop betting platforms from blocking or limiting players just because they win a lot or bet big.

Alex Bores Pushes Bill to Stop Sportsbooks from Unfairly Limiting Players

Alex Bores, a member of the Assembly, brought up this idea in late September. The bill has gone to the state’s Committee on Racing and Wagering for review. People expect the law to carry over to the next session, starting in January 2026, where lawmakers could talk about it.

If given the green light, the proposal would make it mandatory for all licensed sportsbooks in New York to provide players with equal access to deposits and bets, no matter how much money they bring in. At the same time, it would still allow operators to step in in specific cases, like when a bettor shows signs of gambling problems or does something fishy under current state law.

The Fair Play Act‘s main focus is on being open and clear. The bill says sportsbooks would need to let customers know within a day whenever they put a betting limit or suspend an account. This notice needs to spell out why they did it, how long it will last, and include a number to call for gambling help if the limit is because of worries about responsible gaming.

Fair Play Act Aims to Balance Player Rights and Operator Risk

The bill is a response to the rising number of complaints from gamblers who claim they got limited or blocked after winning several bets. Critics of the industry say operators take bets when customers lose, but put limits on those who win often. The people backing this measure argue that this practice is not fair in a market that brought in over $1 billion in tax money for New York last year.

Other states are also starting to look at similar problems. In Massachusetts, officials have been going over betting limit data for a few months now. A new report showed that just over 0.5% of gamblers had limits put on them, with many seeing their top bets cut down to a small part of their normal amounts. Massachusetts regulators pointed out that companies often gave little or no reason for these actions, leading to calls for more checks.

If it passes, New York’s Fair Play Act would kick in 180 days after being signed into law, giving betting companies time to change their rules. While the plan has caught the eye of consumer groups, it might run into pushback from operators who say that limits are needed to stop market abuse.

Right now, the Fair Play Act shows New York is examining how to balance protecting consumers with allowing operators to manage risks in one of the country’s biggest sports betting markets.