As sports betting approval looms in the NYS Legislature, yes, the Barclays Center is lobbying on it

From a 2/2/21 New York Times article, As Sports Gambling Grows, So Do Appetite-Whetting Sure Bets, focusing on the boom in online betting, now legal in 20 states and Washington, DC:

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, who is banking on the State Legislature to approve mobile sports betting this spring, has said it could bring hundreds of millions of dollars into state coffers as New York is facing a multi-billion-dollar deficit. Despite his enthusiasm, Cuomo said he wanted the state to have tight control over the betting platforms, likening sports gambling to the state-run lottery.

Well, just in case you're wonder, operators of major sports facilities like the Barclays Center are very interested. (I wrote in May 2018 how then arena CEO Brett Yormark sounded enthusiastic.)

A 2019-20 state Lobbyist Registration filing for Brooklyn Events Center, which operates the arena cites sports betting as a focus, with the parties lobbied including the state Legislature, the Executive Chamber, and the City Council.

And that lobbying is ongoing.

Madison Square Garden is also lobbying on "gaming," as well as other issues. Presumably other venue operators are doing so, as well.