The reason the four are so far-flung — as least from a New York City perspective — is rooted in the 2013 law that authorized the expansion of casinos in New York, part of a plan pushed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo as a way to enliven long-sluggish upstate communities and their economies. That has not happened, as all four have struggled to meet their promises of tax revenue and in some cases, their debt payments.

The governor’s embrace of sports betting is an acknowledgment of how it could help draw people to those casinos, as well as an acknowledgment of the competition from other states (see New Jersey).

What about all those commercials I see for online betting?

Those ads, for companies like FanDuel and DraftKings, are aimed for New Jersey residents and sports gamblers visiting the state.

It is not at all clear if New York will authorize online betting, which is a potentially much bigger moneymaker than the so-called brick-and-mortar operations the Gaming Commission gave its initial approval to on Monday.

The Cuomo administration has expressed the opinion that authorizing online bets would require changing the State Constitution. That is a time-consuming process; any such change would require passage by two separate legislatures and approval via a voter referendum. That means 2021, at the very earliest. Needless to say, casinos are not pleased by this interpretation or this timetable.

New York sports bettors do have one option that their New Jersey brethren do not: tribal casinos.

Betting will likely be available at Turning Stone, the hugely successful operation outside Syracuse, which is owned by the Oneida Indian Nation. Earlier this month, the Oneidas announced a partnership with Caesar’s Entertainment to open betting lounges at Turning Stone and two other smaller casinos nearby in 2019.

What will I eventually be able to bet on?

Pretty much any professional or major collegiate sporting event. Betting on politics and other cultural events — the winner of “The Voice,” for example, or the coming Democratic presidential primary cage-match — will not be allowed.