Published on: December 12, 2025, at 12:30 PM.
Updated on: December 12, 2025, at 12:31 PM.
- Three casinos in downstate New York are set for formal approval on December 15.
- Two of the casinos will be located in Queens, while the third will be in the Bronx.
On December 1, the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board cleared three casino applications, which are anticipated to receive their full gaming licenses on Monday.
The New York State Gaming Commission is scheduled to hold its final meeting of 2025 on Monday, December 15, at 1 PM, set to occur at the Robert F. Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan’s Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park.
This public meeting operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and will see the gaming authority implement a rule modification regarding the “License Duration and Renewal Period for Newly Licensed Gaming Facilities.”
The new proposal outlines that any applicant investing between $1.5 billion and $5 billion will be awarded an initial 15-year gaming license. If investments surpass $5 billion, the license will extend to 20 years, and should investments exceed $10 billion, licenses will span 30 years.
Following this, the Commission will deliberate on the licensing of the three proposed downstate applicants, which have received the Board’s favorable recommendation. As per state regulations, licenses must be granted by year’s end, making it virtually certain that Bally’s Bronx, Metropolitan Park, and Resorts World will obtain permissions for slots, table games, and sports betting.
Proposals for NYC Casinos
The Gaming Facility Location Board was assigned the responsibility of evaluating which of the three downstate casino proposals would best fulfill the state’s gaming requirements aimed at generating revenue, creating jobs, and boosting the local economy. The Board’s task became simpler as the initial pool of over a dozen bids was narrowed down to just three qualifying proposals.
Ultimately, the Board endorsed the three applications that received support from the Community Advisory Committee.
- Bally’s Bronx has proposed a $4 billion investment, covering licensing fees and community commitments, along with a one-time payment of $115 million to The Trump Organization. The estimated capital investment of around $2.3 billion will be allocated to building a casino resort on city-owned Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx.
Bally’s plan includes a hotel with 507 rooms and a casino featuring 3,500 slot machines, 250 table games, a sportsbook, and a 2,000-seat event venue. This $4 billion project is expected to secure an initial gaming license for 15 years.
- Metropolitan Park proposes an $8 billion venture, encompassing up-front fees and financial guarantees. Backed by Hard Rock International and billionaire Steve Cohen, the plan involves a $5.3 billion investment to create two hotels with 1,000 rooms adjacent to Citi Field, alongside a casino boasting 5,000 slots, 405 tables, and a sportsbook. A 5,650-seat Hard Rock Live theatre is included in the development.
- Meanwhile, Resorts World’s parent company, Genting, is pursuing a $5.5 billion enhancement of its racino facility near JFK International. A $3.3 billion investment aims to refurbish and expand the current hotel into a 1,963-room destination. The new casino is set to include 4,635 slots, 534 tables, and a sportsbook, along with plans for a 7,000-seat event space.
Concerns for Genting
Although Genting received a recommendation from the Gaming Facility Location Board, it was noted that the company did not disclose “issues leading to fines at Resorts Catskills, Resorts World Hudson Valley, and its existing video lottery gaming site at Aqueduct in Queens.”
The Board also mentioned that Genting’s reporting of a $10.5 million penalty in Las Vegas for breaching anti-money laundering regulations was given “without adequate details.”
“The Board finds this lack of transparency concerning and advises that the Commission factor this into its licensing decision,” the Board concluded.