New York Casino Race Enters Critical Stretch as Major Projects Face Pressure

The fight for New York’s downstate casino market is entering another tense phase, with several billion-dollar projects still battling through legal hurdles, political pressure, and community opposition as the state inches closer to final decisions.

One of the biggest talking points remains Metropolitan Park, the $8 billion casino and entertainment proposal backed by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International near Citi Field in Queens. The project recently faced another setback after reports surfaced that parts of its construction timeline are already running months behind schedule.

The proposal has also dealt with legal friction involving the US Tennis Association, which raised concerns about how the development could affect the US Open and existing lease agreements around the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Despite that, Metropolitan Park representatives say agreements with the city are still progressing and the project remains alive heading deeper into the licensing process.

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Resorts World Has Already Moved Ahead

While some bids remain tied up in approvals and lawsuits, Resorts World New York City has already gained momentum after officially opening New York City’s first full-scale casino with live table games last month.

The Queens property, operated by Genting, expanded beyond slot machines and now offers blackjack, baccarat, craps, roulette, and more than 200 live dealer tables after securing one of the coveted downstate casino licenses. The expansion also brought over a thousand new jobs and immediately strengthened Resorts World’s position as one of the early leaders in the state’s casino race.

At the same time, Bally’s Bronx proposal remains active as another key player in the process, though questions still surround timelines, infrastructure, and how aggressively the state wants to push multiple large-scale casino developments simultaneously.

Beyond the land-based casino battle, New York’s broader iGaming conversation is still growing quietly in the background. Senator Joseph Addabbo once again introduced legislation to legalize online casino gaming earlier this year, marking another attempt to push one of the largest untapped gambling markets in the United States toward regulated iGaming.

The stakes are massive. New York already dominates US sports betting revenue, and a fully legalized online casino market would instantly become one of the most valuable iGaming jurisdictions globally. But between licensing disputes, political negotiations, and billion-dollar developments still years away from completion, the state’s gambling expansion remains far from settled.