WASHINGTON, DC – The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) today expressed deep disappointment over New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to sign S. 5935-A / A. 6745-A into law. The legislation bans Social Plus games that have been safely enjoyed by New Yorkers for a decade, cutting off access to safe, fun digital entertainment and eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars in annual economic contributions.
Research from leading consulting firm Eilers & Krejcik shows that Social Plus games contributed over $230 million to New York’s economy in 2024 alone. Under a modern regulatory framework, they could generate upwards of $80 million in new annual state revenue. Instead, the new law removes popular promotional features without offering meaningful alternatives – hurting consumers, businesses and the state’s innovation economy.
Public opinion is clear: regulate, don’t ban. Nationwide polling shows that 84% of Americans support updating laws to regulate and tax Social Plus games. Voters overwhelmingly want lawmakers to focus on urgent issues like inflation and the high cost of living, health care and immigration, not banning safe, free-to-play entertainment.
Despite these clear signals, Governor Hochul signed legislation that had no industry consultation, mischaracterizes lawful sweepstakes promotions, and restricts economic and innovation opportunities in the state.
“Players, operators, and voters all made their position clear: they didn’t want a ban on this popular, safe form of entertainment,” said Jeff Duncan, Executive Director of SGLA. “Governor Hochul had the opportunity to protect consumer choice and New York’s economic interests. Instead, she chose a short-sighted path, closing the door on choice, innovation, and hundreds of millions in economic activity.”
The SGLA remains committed to advocating for modern, balanced regulation that reflects voter preferences, protects consumers, supports local economies, and preserves access to safe Social Plus games.
To learn more about SGLA, please visit our website at www.SGLeadership.org and our social channels at LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.
Contact
Laurie Rossbach
Partner, Seven Letter
202.258.7810
Laurie@SevenLetter.com
About the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) champions social gaming operators who offer innovative, free-to-play entertainment experiences enjoyed by millions of Americans while promoting responsible digital entertainment. Our partners set the standard for innovation, world class games and the responsible use of digital marketing including sweepstakes promotions. We advocate for appropriate oversight that recognizes the unique entertainment value of Social Plus games, protects players, platforms and the community, and promotes responsible gameplay.
The SGLA’s operator partners are VGW, PLAYSTUDIOS, Yellow Social Interactive, ARB Interactive and B-Two Operations, representing Chumba Casino, Luckyland Slots, Global Poker, Pulsz, Pulsz Bingo, Modo Casino, McLuck, HelloMillions and SpinBlitz. Other partners include major payments provider Nuvei. The SGLA’s advocacy and standards focus exclusively on Social Plus games. Our advocacy does not extend to operators offering sports products or transacting in cryptocurrency.
###
