Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams planned to make an announcement about sports gambling and casinos in New York at a 10:30 a.m. media availability outside the Barclays Center on Thursday, March 26, his office said in advisories ahead of the event. The Office of the Public Advocate did not preview the substance of the announcement, describing it only as an availability on sports gambling.

Williams' office staged the appearance to coincide with the sports calendar, noting in its advisory that the event fell on baseball's Opening Day and as the Sweet 16 round of the men's college basketball tournament, March Madness, was set to tip off. The office said the announcement would touch on both sports betting and casinos in New York, but the advisories released March 26 did not specify any legislation, position or proposal.