DraftKings and Madison Square Garden Co. are extending an existing partnership between the two companies that makes DraftKings the official sports betting and daily fantasy sports partner of the New York Knicks, Rangers and the world-famous arena.

According to a news release Thursday from Madison Square Garden, the partnership includes significant marketing for DraftKings at the arena during Knicks and Rangers games as well as similar efforts during the teams’ broadcasts on MSG networks. Additionally, the agreement includes various promotions for daily fantasy sports during NBA G-League Westchester Knicks games at the Westchester County Center.

“DraftKings has established itself as one of the most successful gaming companies in the industry and we are honored to continue our partnership with their incredible brand,” MSG’s Ron Skotarczak, executive VP of marketing partnerships, said in the news release.

“We are both committed to ensuring that our customers have the best possible experience and we look forward to continuing to work closely with DraftKings on programs and promotions that benefit both of our businesses in significant and measurable ways.

No Sports Betting At Knicks Or Rangers Games … Yet

While sports betting is a big and important part of the marketing agreement between Madison Square Garden and DraftKings, that doesn’t mean Knicks and Rangers fans will be able to place bets inside the arena.

Sure, DraftKings will have the ability per the agreement to set up activation areas at the wide variety of fan events the Knicks and Rangers hold throughout the year. But anything related to actually betting on sports will have to wait.

That’s because New York’s lagging sports betting policy forces bettors to travel to one of the seven physical sportsbooks in the state, which consist of four commercial and three tribal properties. And those retail locations are located too far from New York City to seriously be considered viable options for most bettors.

Or perhaps DraftKings could help teach bettors to find their way to del Lago Casino’s sportsbook in Waterloo, the nearest DraftKings location in New York. Other commercial options bettors can choose from in the state include Tioga Downs Casino’s FanDuel Sportsbook in Nichols, Rivers Casino’s Rush Street Gaming Sportsbook in Schenectady and Resorts Catskills’ bet365 in Monticello.

The tribal sportsbooks include Turning Stone Casino Resort in Verona and Point Place Casino in Bridgeport, as well as New York’s largest sportsbook, The Lounge with Caesar’s Sports at Yellow Brick Road Casino in Chittenango.

Lack of Mobile Sportsbooks Holding NY Back

DraftKings offers mobile and retail betting all over the country. Its work in the mobile sportsbook space has helped the company quickly become one of the early industry leaders in the growing U.S. sports betting market that took off after the landmark May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision struck down a decades-long federal ban on sports betting.

But New York’s lack of mobile betting is holding the state back.

For example, the growth of sports betting in neighboring New Jersey has seemingly displayed unlimited potential. But even that state’s leaders know that nearby New York, which boasts a much greater population alongside a world-renowned tourism industry, could easily become the sports betting capital of the U.S. should local lawmakers change their minds about mobile betting.

For now, New Yorkers will simply have to keep choosing between long trips to Upstate New York sportsbooks or crossing the state line to New Jersey where they can easily place mobile bets as soon as they reach their destination.