The Clock Is Ticking
New York casino proposals are staring down a June 27 deadline, with some projects making a late push for one of the coveted licenses.
The Bulletin Board
THE LEDE: Is the New York casino picture coming into focus?
ROUNDUP: CT wweeps bill passes; Ad restrictions in Canada and Brazil; OH kiosks on the way out; tribes score legal victory.
NEWS: Brian Quintenz’s CFTC confirmation process will begin on June 10.
AROUND the WATERCOOLER: A minor squabble over smoke-free casinos.
STRAY THOUGHTS: An STTP milestone.
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The Lede: Sizing Up NY Casino Bids as Deadline Looms
With a June 27 deadline fast approaching, the competition for New York's three downstate casino licenses has seen a small shakeup: multiple bids have been formally withdrawn, others are struggling to cut through bureaucratic red tape, and two proposals, Avenir and Citi Field, are improving their odds. The licenses are not expected to be announced until late 2025.
Here’s the latest on each of the proposals and STTP’s rankings based on viability, momentum, and hurdles.
1. MGM Empire City (Yonkers)
Casino Company (Operator): MGM Resorts International
Online legalization impact: Positive
MGM Empire City in Yonkers, a frontrunner for one of three downstate New York casino licenses, leverages its established gaming operations and proximity to New York City. The proposal, benefiting from existing infrastructure and a strong market presence, faces no significant reported hurdles, positioning it as a near-certain pick. However, competition for licenses remains intense.
2. Resorts World (Queens)
Casino Company (Operator): Genting Group
Online legalization impact: Neutral
Resorts World in Queens, a leading candidate for a New York casino license, stands out with its robust gaming facilities and strong community backing in the borough. The proposal, anchored by operational experience and a strategic location, is well-positioned to secure one of the three licenses. Challenges are minimal.
3. Steve Cohen-Hard Rock International (Citi Field, Queens)
Casino Company (Operator): Hard Rock International
Online legalization impact: Positive
Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International’s $8 billion entertainment complex, located near Citi Field, is a strong contender for the third New York casino license. The complex features a casino, a 1,000-room hotel, public amenities, and 100 off-site affordable apartments. The New York State Assembly’s passage of a parkland alienation bill on May 13, 2025, with the Senate approving the zoning changes on May 27, bolsters its viability, and the project continues to pick up key supporters.
4. SL Green and Caesars Entertainment (Times Square, Manhattan)
Casino Company (Operator): Caesars Entertainment
Online legalization impact: Positive
Roc Nation, SL Green, and Caesars Entertainment’s 250,000-square-foot Times Square casino proposal, deemed a viable candidate by STTP last month, is the strongest of Manhattan’s bids for a New York casino license. Per the New York Post, “Sources said Jay-Z [one of the investors] was in the capital to discuss the glittering casino plan.” The effort has garnered some local and union support. However, “The odds could be long,” according to the Post. “I don’t think there is going to be a casino in Manhattan,” John Sabini, former chairman of the state racing and wagering board, told the Post. STTP Thoughts: Its high-visibility location and major gaming partnership are key strengths, but delayed environmental reviews by the state’s Gaming Commission risk disqualification.
5. Silverstein Properties and Greenwood Gaming (Avenir, Manhattan)
Casino Company (Operator): Greenwood Gaming and Rush Street Gaming
Online legalization impact: Neutral to Slightly Positive
Silverstein Properties, in partnership with Greenwood Gaming and now Rush Street Gaming, is advancing its $1.8 billion Avenir proposal, a high-end casino and 46-story mixed-use complex at 11th Avenue and 41st Street in Manhattan. This project, one of four Manhattan-based bids for one of three downstate New York casino licenses, should receive a slight boost from Rush Street’s involvement. Avenir faces environmental review delays plaguing Manhattan bids, which could hinder its competitiveness against rivals like Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Caesars in Times Square.
6. Soloviev Group (East River, Manhattan)
Casino Company (Operator): Mohegan Gaming
Online legalization impact: Neutral to Positive
Soloviev Group’s proposed mixed-use complex near the United Nations, a long-shot candidate for a New York casino license, features a casino, 1,325 apartments, a museum, and 4.7 acres of East River green space. A novel plan to offer partial ownership to New Yorkers aims to counter local opposition, but environmental review delays and competition from stronger bids weaken its prospects.
7. Bally’s Links at Ferry Point (Bronx)
Casino Company (Operator): Bally’s
Online legalization impact: Positive
Bally’s Links at Ferry Point is another longshot proposal for a New York casino license. Located at the former Trump golf course in the Bronx, it faces significant challenges, including a community board rejection driven by concerns over the loss of parkland and the minimal benefits it would offer, which, combined with Bally’s operational issues in Chicago, severely undermines its bid. Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim cried foul after the city council delayed a vote on May 28, alleging a whisper campaign by competitors: “They’re saying, ‘If Bally’s wins, Trump benefits.’ That’s crazy,” Kim told The New York Post.
8. The Coney (Coney Island, Brooklyn)
Casino Company (Operator): Saratoga Casino Holdings
Online legalization impact: Neutral to Negative
The Coney, a joint venture between Thor Equities, Legends Entertainment, the Chickasaw Nation, and Saratoga Casino Holdings, received a slight boost following a critical city approval vote. However, strong local opposition and a contentious public hearing highlight significant hurdles in overcoming community resistance and competing proposals.
[WITHDRAWN] Wynn New York City (Hudson Yards, Manhattan)
The proposal: Wynn New York City’s $12 billion Hudson Yards proposal included a casino, 1,500 housing units (324 of which are affordable), a 5.6-acre park, a K-8 school, and a 1,750-room hotel. Enhanced community benefits aim to counter strong local opposition (recently reported by STTP), but despite being the most ambitious project, it faced zoning changes and City Council approval requirements and was withdrawn earlier this week due to ‘persistent opposition.’
[WITHDRAWN] Sands New York (Nassau County)
The proposal: Las Vegas Sands’ proposed resort at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum site includes a casino, hotels, convention space, and a luxury spa, with gaming as just 10% of the project. When it withdrew, the company cited the threat of online gambling: “As we previously stated, the company remains concerned about the potential impact of the legalization of igaming on the overall market opportunity and project returns,” LVS President Patrick Dumont said during the company’s recent earnings call. A recent report from Newsday threw cold water on the idea of DraftKings taking over the project: "There is no deal between the companies nor will there be," a source told Newsday. "DraftKings will not be taking over the Sands bid."
[WITHDRAWN] Saks Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)
The proposal: Hudson’s Bay Company's proposal would convert the top three floors of its flagship Saks store into a 200,000-square-foot luxury casino.
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Roundup: CT Sweeps Bill; Ad Restrictions in Canada and Brazil; OH Kiosks; Tribes Score Legal Victory
Connecticut legislature passes sweepstakes prohibition bill [SB 1235]: A day after Lousiana passed a sweepstakes prohibition bill, Connecticut has followed suit — both states now await the signature of their respective governors to become law. Two other states, Montana and Nevada have prohibited sweepstakes this year. STTP is keeping a running tally of sweepstakes bills here.
Brazil gambling advertising restriction passes Senate [Next.io]: Brazil’s Senate passed Bill PL 2,985/2023, legislation that imposes strict limits on gambling advertising, particularly for fixed-odds betting. The law bans ads during live sports broadcasts, prohibits active athletes, influencers, or celebrities from participating in promotions, and restricts ads in radio and print media. Social media ads require age restrictions and opt-out options. Stadium advertising faces a one-year transition, except for official sponsors.
Ohio sports betting kiosks prove to be an absolute failure [Sports Betting Dime]: Nearly all Ohio Type-C sports betting kiosks, located in bars, restaurants, and supermarkets, will go offline by June 22, 2025, as Intralot, the largest vendor, exits the market. Intralot’s Sports Bet Ohio brand operates 93% of the state’s 704 kiosks, leaving only 48 UbetOhio locations operational. With Kiosks on the way out, VLTs are the new ask, with the topic coming up during hearings on online casino legalization in the state.
Maverick Gaming loses court battle against Washington State [Snell & Wilmer Law]: In a case I’ve followed closely for Gaming Law Review, where I serve as Editor-in-Chief, the US Supreme Court denied Maverick Gaming LLC’s challenge to tribe’s exclusivity in Washington State to offer sports betting on tribal lands. In an excellent summary even if you know nothing about the case, Snell & Wilmer’s Heidi McNeil Staudenmaier and Maya Dominguez note that the decision reinforces tribal sovereignty, as the court recognized tribes as necessary parties protected by sovereign immunity. “Maverick, a casino operator, had lobbied for legislation permitting non-tribal entities to operate gaming facilities. Instead, the Washington legislature passed a law allowing only tribes to conduct Class III gaming pursuant to the IGRA.”
Legislation to restrict online gambling marketing in Canada rereintroduced [Covers.com]: Ontario Senator Marty Deacon reintroduced Bill S-211 on May 28, aiming to establish a national framework for sports betting advertising in Canada. The bill has been framed as a response to the surge in ads following the regulation and launch of online gambling in Ontario. The previous effort passed the Senate, but was upended by Canada’s special election.
News: Quintenz Confirmation Process Gets Rolling
Brian Quintenz, Donald Trump’s appointee to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will start the confirmation process on June 10 in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
As Dustin Gouker wrote in the Event Horizon newsletter, “After the confirmation hearing, the committee will hold a meeting and a vote at a later date on whether to send the confirmation to the full Senate. If that happens, the Senate will then debate the nomination and hold an up-or-down vote on Quintenz. A simple majority is needed to confirm him.”
As STTP has noted, the CFTC is down to a skeleton crew, which raises all sorts of questions about its ability or appetite to make critical decisions on these important topics.
During the hearings, all eyes will be on the questions Quintenz fields, which are likely to revolve around cryptocurrency and prediction markets. STTP would note that while we know where Quintenz falls on these issues, the questioning, both during the Committee stage and in front of the full Senate might offer a glimpse into how Congress is viewing the recent developments.
Recall that last month, Indian Gaming Association Executive Director Jason Giles said the group has been broaching the topic wil congressional members:
“During the introduction of yesterday’s new normal webinar, Jason Giles noted that while he was up on Capitol Hill, he asked Sen. Chuck Grassley about the CFTC situation surrounding Kalshi (Grassley is a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, which has congressional oversight of the CFTC). According to Giles, neither Grassley nor his staff were aware of what was going on.
“Giles also noted he was previously pessimistic about Congress moving on this issue, but added that the more they (congressional members) hear about it, the more eyebrows get raised.”
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Around the Watercooler
Social media conversations, rumors, and gossip.
If you are a regular reader of the newsletter, you know I support smoke-free casinos. Progress is being made, but the issue is still quite contentious, evidenced by a recent dustup between the two major groups working to prohibit smoking on casino floors (Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights and Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects) and Spectrum Gaming Group.
The two groups pointed to a recent Webinar where it said Spectrum analysts concluded that there is no clear evidence that allowing indoor smoking boosts revenue or that going smokefree harms it. According to the advocacy groups, those statements contradicted Spectrum’s 2022 report, commissioned by the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ). The earlier report, which relied on outdated 2006 data, claimed that banning smoking in Atlantic City casinos could lead to substantial job and revenue losses. The groups claim the Spectrum report has stalled efforts to prohibit smoking.
The groups took Spectrum to task in the press releases.
Pete Naccarelli, Co-Founder of CEASE and Table Games Dealer:
“The 2022 Spectrum report has always been a house of cards that falls apart upon closer inspection — and now, even the authors are admitting as much.”
“Casino executives and lawmakers have spent years hiding behind Spectrum’s shoddy analysis, which fueled a sky-will-fall narrative about what would happen if legislators were to close the casino smoking loophole.”
Cynthia Hallett, President and CEO of ANSR (Guest on Episode #31):
“Now they tell us — after more than three years of fueling the fight against protecting casino workers’ lives. Despite all evidence to the contrary, the Casino Association of New Jersey has relied on a report they bought and paid for to make sky-will-fall predictions about how protecting their workers from toxic air is actually a bad thing. It was an absurd theory three years ago, and it’s shameful now that casino workers have suffered as a result.”
Spectrum took to social media to explain that it had not changed its mind; rather, it looks at the impact on a case-by-case basis.
Stray Thoughts
Another Milestone as the newsletter closes in on its two-year anniversary in August:
Thank you all for the continued support!