is it legal to gamble in new york, or bet on games, etc in new york. and if it is are there any online sites where i can do this
There is no legal online gambling (technically it has to do with transfer of money) in the US, in fact, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York just seized millions from people who were doing it via the internet with offshore companies.
Actually, they seized it from the companies which caused checks to players to bounce. There was no money seized from any players or their accounts. At least that is what I understood to have taken place.
True, it wasn't from their personal accounts... "In an apparent crackdown on Internet gambling, federal authorities in New York have frozen or seized bank accounts worth $34 million belonging to 27,000 online poker players, according to representatives for the players and account holders." "Though the money belongs to the poker players, it is held for them in accounts managed by the two service companies." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124459561862800591.html
I believe the companies made good on all the money that was really players money. I do not think any US player lost money, even the proceeds of 'illegal' gambling. I played some online poker in the past. It is one of the few things I did right. I won an online tourney and walked away never to play again. I like playing poker but it takes too much time.