Published on: August 21, 2025, 08:01h.
Updated on: August 21, 2025, 08:01h.
- Mamdani expresses opposition to casinos but will not impede their establishment.
- Mamdani is currently favored to become the next mayor of NYC.
- Eight casino proposals are competing for three licenses in downstate New York.
Zohran Mamdani, a socialist lawmaker from Queens, is positioned as the leading candidate for New York City’s next mayor and has stated he will not obstruct the establishment of casinos in the downstate area.
By year-end, the New York Gaming Facility Location Board is anticipated to select three casino proposals for lucrative gaming privileges, including slot machines, live dealer tables, and sports betting. Currently, there are eight bids under consideration: two from Queens, one from Brooklyn, three from Manhattan, one from the Bronx, and one from Westchester County.
“I have expressed my personal doubts regarding this, but I also recognize this is part of the law,” Mamdani commented recently concerning the upcoming casinos. “The determination of where and which casinos will be situated is a matter for the state.”
Mamdani assumed office in January 2021 and thus did not partake in the 2013 expansion that legalized commercial casinos in the state. This initiative allowed the establishment of seven casinos, providing four upstate licenses a decade to function prior to the licensing of downstate establishments.
Constraints on the Mayor’s Authority
Current forecasts indicate that Mamdani is likely to follow Eric Adams as mayor, as suggested by various opinion polls and online betting platforms allowing users to wager on the Nov. 2 mayoral elections in NYC.
According to an average compiled by Real Clear Politics, Mamdani holds a 15-point advantage over his nearest challenger, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, while Adams trails with just 11% of the predicted electorate.
On the prediction market Kalshi, participants assign Mamdani an 83% chance of becoming NYC’s next mayor, while on PredictIt, his victory is projected with a probability of 84%.
Although Mamdani is expected to become mayor, his capacity to halt the establishment of casinos is limited. A representative from the mayor’s office is part of seven out of eight Community Advisory Committees (CAC), which will cast votes on whether to advance the casino proposals, but these votes will take place before he assumes office.
The Gaming Facility Location Board will evaluate casino applicants who have received approval from two-thirds of their respective CACs. Each CAC is required to cast their vote by September 30, 2025, while Mamdani, if he wins the election, would officially take office on January 1, 2026.
Cuomo’s Influence on Casinos
Mamdani has expressed reservations about casinos, referring to gambling as “haram,” an Arabic term meaning “forbidden.” In contrast, Adams has been a vocal advocate for introducing casinos to New York City. Cuomo had endorsed casino legalization during his tenure, urging voters over a decade ago to support a constitutional amendment that permitted the State Assembly to regulate gambling.
Critics of casinos in Manhattan and the other boroughs—evident from initial public meetings of the CACs—might hold Cuomo responsible for compelling them to consider integrating Las Vegas-style resorts into their neighborhoods, a sentiment that could diminish Cuomo’s prospects for a November upset.