New York has launched its latest push to legalize online poker within its borders, but it faces its traditionally uncertain path to becoming law.

On Friday, state Sen. John Bonacic (pictured) introduced S-3898, which aims to amend state racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding laws to permit “certain interactive poker games,” including but not limited to Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hold’em. The bill has been duly referred to the Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering committee, which Bonacic chairs.

The bill is essentially a retread of the S-5302 legislation that Bonacic was pushing last year. That bill made it successfully through the state Senate in the dying days of the 2015-16 legislative session, only to be utterly ignored by the state Assembly, which left S-5302 to wither and die on the vine.

S-3898 would allow for up to 11 online poker licensees, one more than in S-5302. Licensees have to be already licensed to operate either video lottery gaming or a class III gaming facility. These entities can partner with a “significant vendor” to supply their technology, provided that third party clears the standard ‘suitability’ hurdles.

New York has launched its latest push to legalize online poker within its borders, but it faces its traditionally uncertain path to becoming law.

On Friday, state Sen. John Bonacic (pictured) introduced S-3898, which aims to amend state racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding laws to permit “certain interactive poker games,” including but not limited to Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hold’em. The bill has been duly referred to the Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering committee, which Bonacic chairs.

The bill is essentially a retread of the S-5302 legislation that Bonacic was pushing last year. That bill made it successfully through the state Senate in the dying days of the 2015-16 legislative session, only to be utterly ignored by the state Assembly, which left S-5302 to wither and die on the vine.

S-3898 would allow for up to 11 online poker licensees, one more than in S-5302. Licensees have to be already licensed to operate either video lottery gaming or a class III gaming facility. These entities can partner with a “significant vendor” to supply their technology, provided that third party clears the standard ‘suitability’ hurdles.