New York State Gaming Commission Grants Licenses To Three Downstate Casinos

Three conditional gaming licenses were awarded to downstate New York casino projects on Monday by the New York State Gaming Commission.

A planned casino expansion that started in 2023 will officially begin in 2026. Bally’s Bronx, Hard Rock Metropolitan Park and Resorts World New York City received the three licenses.

Robert Linnehan of Sports Betting Dime has been covering the process and reported on the license approval on Monday.

NYSGC Chairman Brian O’Dwyer said of the licenses after the vote, “To all three who have been granted this conditional license, congratulations on behalf of the State of New York. We look forward to seeing the jobs, economic development, infrastructure, and gaming revenues come to fruition.”

Casino Construction to Begin in 2026

The conditional licenses were awarded to the three projects. Each approval required that the casinos accept a monitoring agreement from an independent third party for five years. The commission will approve the third party and reports will come on a quarterly basis to ensure that these projects live up to the promises they made in their respective proposals.

Bally’s Bronx will be located at Ferry Point. It is a $4 billion casino and hotel project that will cover 3 million square feet. The proposal calls for 4,000 jobs to be brought into the area.

Hard Rock Metropolitan Park will be located next to Citi Field in Queens. The project is backed by Steve Cohen and is an $8 billion resort and casino project. This is one of the planned projects to build the area into an entertainment hub that will include a tennis center and soccer stadium.

Resorts World New York City is a project in Queens at the Aqueduct Racetrack. The location has already been set up for casino gaming. It is a $5.5 billion project that will cover 5.6 million square feet.

Expectations call for these three projects to generate $1 billion in annual gaming tax revenue by 2036.

Now with licenses, all three casino projects can begin construction in 2026.

Three Projects, Sweepstakes Ban Move NY Toward Online Casinos?

The conclusion to the three downstate casinos getting licensed moves us closer to New York online casino expansion.

It is the second big development in recent weeks in the state that should help iGaming become a reality.

A few weeks ago, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill that bans dual-currency sweepstakes gaming and sports betting in the state.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. He has been arguably the state’s biggest proponent of online casino expansion and has introduced multiple bills on the matter over the years.

Following Hochul signing the bill, Addabbo addressed that online casino expansion is a logical next step for New York.

“Signing my bill into law is not the end of the conversation, but rather a necessary step toward responsible modernization of New York’s online gaming landscape. By shutting down unsafe, unregulated sweepstakes casinos, New York is reaffirming that if online gaming is going to exist in this state, it must be legal, well-regulated, and built with strong consumer protections. With downstate casino licensing progressing and the illegal sweepstakes loophole now closed, the state is better positioned to hold serious discussions about regulating and potentially legalizing iGaming in the near future, possibly as part of the upcoming budget process,” Addabbo said in a press release.

Should the retail casino expansion projects go smoothly, it should continue to strengthen the argument for online casinos in the state. The added tax revenue would be in the billions annually.

Until then, New Yorkers can utilize New Jersey online casinos, which feature dozens of online operators. Among the top current welcome offers include the Hard Rock Bet bonus code, and the PlayStar Casino promo code.