N.Y.’s bad bet

What with the College Football Playoff National Championship and NFL playoffs around the corner, we’re sure that the four bookmakers approved to start taking mobile sports bets from New Yorkers this morning at 9 will have plenty of business. We just hope that people don’t lose their shirts (or their rent money) with such easy ways to place wagers.

These bookies don’t need any advertisement from us, as they are buying enough on TV and the state Gaming Commission — which is in business with them, pocketing 50% of the take — put out a press release with how to contact each one of the purveyors and will likely do the same when another five operators get their full clearance.

Besides us being wary about how gambling preys on those with compulsions, the plain language of the state Constitution forbids such betting. Wagering on sports games is legal at the four upstate casinos (and possible additional three future ones) because the Constitution permits “casino gambling at no more than seven facilities as authorized and prescribed by the Legislature.” Albany is claiming that since the processing of the sports bet occurs at a computer physically present at the casino, the bettor can be in Brooklyn. Horse hockey.

Is virtual work or school or court proceedings the same as in-person? Nope. Ditto for gambling. The Constitution says “at,” and that refers to a location. Otherwise, under this warped thinking, there’s no reason not to allow people to use a smartphone or other virtual setup to place wagers on craps or roulette at an upstate casino. Or maybe that’s next.

Remember, those casinos are upstate because gambling wasn’t wanted here in the city. The camel’s nose got under the tent, and maybe the whole stinky menagerie is coming in next.