New Yorkers Can Now Play the Lottery with an App

There's an app for that! If you play the lottery, you can now do it anywhere, on a new app. Jackpocket, the first third-party lottery app in the country, allows people to buy tickets from their phone or other mobile device. Jackpocket's website describes the benefits of the app being able to play anytime and from anywhere, never losing your ticket and being able to play a variety of games. You can play Mega Millions, Powerball, and other lottery games with the app, according to Yogonet.

Peter Sullivan, CEO and founder of Jackpocket, told WIVB,

“As a native New Yorker and growing up watching my father play the lottery, being able to use Jackpocket in New York is personal for me. Jackpocket’s mission is to make the lottery more accessible and convenient to play. I’m proud that now it’s easier than ever to play your favorite games from anywhere in New York.”

New York opened up the State for digital lottery services in 2019. The growth of lottery in the State will increase revenues, which benefits education. The New York Lottery makes up 13% of the State's budget for local education aid.

New York Could Soon Legalize Mobile Sports Betting

With New York State facing a $15 billion budget shortfall, due at least in part to COVID-19, Governor Cuomo has changed his tune about mobile sports betting. According to WGRZ, he previously said it would be unconstitutional.

Gov. Cuomo made the announcement on Wednesday, January 6, 2021,

"At a time when New York faces a historic budget deficit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the current online sports wagering structure incentivizes a large segment of New York residents to travel out of state to make online sports wagers or continue to patronize black markets. New York has the potential to be the largest sports wagering market in the United States, and by legalizing online sports betting we aim to keep millions of dollars in revenue here at home, which will only strengthen our ability to rebuild from the COVID-19 crisis."