Mark it down, New York sports betting fans: At 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 8, four approved mobile wagering providers are allowed to begin accepting bets in the Empire State.

The New York State Gaming Commission announced on Thursday that four operators had satisfied all statutory and regulatory requirements necessary to accept and process mobile sports wagers, and were approved to launch no earlier than Saturday at 9 a.m ET.

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After that, Caesars Sportsbook New York, DraftKings, FanDuel New York and Rush Street Interactive will be able to determine when to accept wagers, based upon their business capabilities and readiness.

It promises to be a landmark moment for sports betting in New York, which has lacked a mobile component since the practice was legalized in retail sportsbooks in April of 2021. That puts New York at a competitive disadvantage to neighboring states like New Jersey, which green-lighted mobile sports betting in 2018 and through November had collected over $756 million in sports betting revenue in 2021.

New York Playing catch-up

Although neighboring Pennsylvania and Connecticut have also legalized online sports betting, New Jersey has loomed as the Empire State’s main rival due to its ability to coax bettors from the New York City area to simply cross the George Washington Bridge to wager. That proximity increased pressure on New York State legislators to keep pace.

“We’ve got to be competitive,” state Sen. Joseph Addabbo of Queens told The New York Times in November. “We’re asking New Yorkers to come to us, and stay with us.”

Beginning Saturday morning, they will have that opportunity. Barring any hiccups from the four operators that have been granted approval, mobile sports wagering will launch in New York State in time for the NFL playoffs and the Feb. 13 Super Bowl, which is one of the most bet-on sporting events in the United States.

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Five operators still wait for approval

DraftKings New York is a partner with del Lao Resort and Casino in Waterloo, while Caesars has an established relationship with tribal casinos in New York State. FanDuel is a betting partner with Madison Square Garden, making it an official gaming sponsor of the New York Knicks, and the company also has a retail location at Tioga Downs Casino in Nichols. Rush Street Interactive has a presence in New York through its partnership with Rivers Casino and Resort in Schenectady.

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The New York State Gaming Commission in November awarded nine licenses to offer mobile and online sports betting in the state. In addition to the four operators approved to launch Saturday, Resorts World, PointsBet, WynnBET, Bally Bet and BetMGM New York were all approved for 10-year mobile sports wagering licenses accompanied by a tax rate of 51 percent on revenue.

According to the Gaming Commission, the remaining five operators continue to work towards satisfying statutory and regulatory requirements necessary for launch. They will be approved on a rolling basis when requirements are met.