New York lawmakers are looking at a proposal to change how mobile sports betting platforms treat their customers. The measure, called the “Fair Play Act” (Assembly Bill A09125), would stop sportsbooks from limiting how much or how often someone can wager just because that person wins often or places a lot of bets. Introduced by Assemblymember Alex Bores on September 26, the bill is now in the Assembly Committee on Racing and Wagering.
Licensed sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and bet365 have been known to limit players who go on winning streaks. These restrictions often target higher-stakes bettors, cutting their maximum wager down to a fraction of what they would normally place, going as low as $1. While technically not banning the player outright, the move effectively pushes them off the platform since betting becomes impractical.
This practice has sparked debate over fairness in the industry. Critics argue that if sportsbooks are quick to take wagers when players lose, they should not be able to shut them out when players win.
The benefits of the new Fair Play Act are that it addresses this imbalance by preventing sportsbooks from limiting bettors simply for being successful. The bill would require platforms to treat all authorized players consistently, while still allowing restrictions in cases of suspicious activity or signs of problem gambling.
If passed, the measure would take effect 180 days after becoming law, giving operators time to adjust their practices.
The Fair Play Act has two exceptions for when a sportsbook is permitted to limit the size of a wager or the frequency of gameplay for each user.
Operators could still restrict accounts if the activity is considered suspicious under existing law, or if there are signs the bettor may have a gambling disorder, as defined in New York’s Mental Hygiene Law.
The bill also creates a new requirement for transparency. If a sportsbook limits or bans a player, it must send an electronic notice within 24 hours explaining how the account is restricted, how long the restriction will last, and why it was imposed. If the reason is related to problem gambling, the notice must also include a hotline number for assistance.
This is a user-friendly update because previously, when players were limited during hot streaks, there was no explanation provided. Users would just receive a notice by email. Even when contacting customer support, there were still no reasons given for the ban.
The Fair Play Act is still in the early stages of the legislative process. While the bill has gained attention for addressing fairness in the sports betting market, it is likely to face pushback from operators who argue that limiting certain players is necessary for risk management.
For now, the proposal signals a growing debate in New York over how to balance the interests of betting operators with consumer protections, and whether winning bettors deserve the same open access as everyone else.
