Key NY Lawmakers Back Legalizing Daily Fantasy Sports

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Key New York lawmakers are continuing efforts to legalize daily fantasy sports following Monday's agreement by its two biggest websites to stop taking bets in New York until July.

New York's Republican-controlled Senate has already backed regulating daily fantasy sports, putting that in its recent budget proposal.

Sen. John Bonacic, the Middletown Republican whose committee has jurisdiction, is pushing for that. The budget deadline is March 31.

In the Democrat-controlled Assembly, J. Gary Pretlow, who chairs the committee with gambling jurisdiction, has predicted since December that the Legislature will legalize and regulate it.

But he says it will happen later, before lawmakers adjourn in June, giving them time to craft a law that will survive any legal challenges.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office says it "looks forward" to reviewing proposed legislation.