Resorts World NYC Is Dominating New York’s Casino Market Just Weeks After Opening Its Table Games Floor

Resorts World New York City has emerged as the dominant force in New York’s commercial casino market, generating far more revenue than any other property in the state just weeks after opening its table games floor on April 28. Data released by the New York State Gaming Commission covering the first three weeks of expanded operations shows the Queens facility outpacing the state’s four upstate commercial casinos by a substantial margin, underscoring the enormous market opportunity represented by New York City’s entrance into full-scale casino gaming.

In the final full week before Resorts World NYC expanded beyond its racino format, the four upstate commercial casinos — Del Lago Resort and Casino, Resorts World Catskills, Rivers Casino and Resort, and Tioga Downs — combined for $13.4 million in gross gaming revenue. Within weeks of Resorts World NYC adding table games, the dynamic of the statewide market shifted dramatically, with the Queens property pulling significantly ahead on a revenue-per-facility basis.

Why This Opening Matters

Resorts World NYC was already the top-grossing gaming facility in New York as a slots-only racino, benefiting from its location within the New York City metropolitan area and its proximity to JFK Airport. The addition of table games effectively transformed the property into a full-service casino for the first time, competing directly with markets in Atlantic City, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania for the billions of dollars in gaming revenue generated by New York-area residents who have historically traveled to those destinations.

The property is operated by Genting Group and has long been positioned as the front-runner for one of the three full commercial casino licenses that New York State is expected to award to downstate facilities. Those licenses are still under review, meaning Resorts World NYC is currently operating under a different authorization than the licenses its owners are seeking. The table games addition represents an interim expansion permitted under existing law, with Genting among the applicants seeking a full downstate commercial license that would allow for a more comprehensive resort-scale development.

Competition and What Comes Next

The revenue data will draw attention from operators watching New York’s downstate casino process closely. Resorts World Catskills, the full-service casino in Sullivan County that opened in 2018, has struggled with competition and financial performance since launch. The opening of a major table games floor in Queens puts further pressure on upstate properties that had effectively been competing among themselves for market share from New York City-area visitors willing to make the drive north.

For the broader casino industry, New York City’s emergence as a significant gaming market has been anticipated for years. The three downstate license applications — which include proposals from Related Companies and Wynn Resorts at Hudson Yards, a Caesars Entertainment and SL Green proposal for Times Square, and Genting’s bid to expand Resorts World NYC — are being evaluated by the state gaming commission and a local advisory committee. A final decision is not expected imminently, but the early revenue data from Resorts World NYC’s table games floor will provide concrete evidence of the market’s scale for policymakers and analysts tracking the process.

Players in the New York area who currently access New York sportsbooks or online casino platforms now have a new in-person option close to home. The Resorts World NYC expansion represents the most significant development in New York gaming since the state launched online sports betting in January 2022.