Elected officials call on Gov. Hochul to support legalization of football box pools at bars
Assembly Member Jarrett Gandolfo and Rep. Andrew Garbarino are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to allow football box polls at bars and restaurants.
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Super Bowl 58 is about three weeks away. Two elected officials are trying to support legalizing a popular part of the big game.
Assembly Member Jarrett Gandolfo and Rep. Andrew Garbarino are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to allow football box polls at bars and restaurants.
In a letter sent to the governor, they say the State Liquor Authority has been cracking down on football box pools since the legalization of sports betting – hurting local businesses.
They are now asking Hochul to support formal legalization of the longtime tradition and to ask the SLA to return to a non-enforcement policy.
Thomas Burke of Huntington also agrees.
"A local place like Rust and Gold, like here, can get the people that come here very often involved and getting them, especially for the Super Bowl, can get them more attendance for the Super Bowl,” he said.
Small business owners like Frank Antonetti, of Rust and Gold in Huntington, say after the pandemic, they still continue to suffer drawing people in. They say incentives like football box pools could help them out during the months with less business.
"I think that this is a great opportunity for us to gain some ground back,” said Antonetti. “It's a great way for business owners to kind of incentivize their guests to come down a little bit more often."
Ultimately -- customers say businesses should be able to find ways to draw in more customers.
"It promotes the business itself so why not have it,” said Burke.
News 12 reached out to the Governor’s Office for a statement about the letter and has not heard back.
