New York Casinos: Your Guide to in State Gaming

NY Casino Market Overview

New York boasts 12 land-based casinos and racinos, overseen by the New York State Gaming Commission, and 15 tribal casinos not regulated by the state. The NY casino market ranks in the top five in the United States, generating over two billion dollars in gross revenue in 2017 and a total tax revenue of 1.02 billion for the state. Casinos in New York are split into two types, Class II and Class III. Class III gambling establishments are the only sites allowed to carry your standard casino games like slots, roulette, blackjack, and more. Most ‘racinos’ and gambling locals fall into the class II category. These sites can only carry social-type games such as bingo. Below you can find a list of all the casinos in New York state.

Commercial Casinos

The traditional casino is a commercial enterprise. Until recently, however, the state of NY has not permitted commercial gaming. The state’s historic gambling laws have placed lots of restrictions on casino gambling. This all changed in 2013 when the state agreed to legalize Las Vegas-style casinos, which had up until this point been constrained to Native American lands. The decision was made to help boost the state’s economy which had been experiencing sluggish growth in the years leading up to the decision. Today, commercial casinos generate more revenue than NY’s tribal gambling locations and the average New Yorker spends about $130 per/year per adult at casinos.

Today, the state has four commercial casinos in upstate New York. The land-based commercial casinos are the Del Lago Resort & Casino, Casino in Tyre, Seneca County, Jake’s 58 Hotel & Casino in Islandia, the Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, Tioga Downs in Nichols, Tioga & the World Catskills. These gambling sites offer huge selections of slot games as well as a nice collection of table & card games.

Although there are racinos, or racetrack casinos in numerous locations throughout the state, most of these places don’t have live table games, only electronic versions of the tables. NY’s four upstate casinos are the only approved locations for walk in sports betting. However, you can now bet from anywhere in the state as online sports betting in New York was launched in early 2022, with a record number of bets placed within the first day of operation.

Pari-mutuel Casinos: Racinos

While Racinos are technically commercial casinos, we decided to talk about them in a different section because these gambling locations are not what people traditionally think of when you say the world ‘casino.’ Of the 12 commercial New York casinos, eight of them are racinos. The term is used to describe horserace tracks that hold licenses to offer casino games. In 2001, the New York State Legislature passed a bill, which allowed racetracks to have video lottery terminals (VLTs). VLTs are like slots, but often contain multiple gambling options.

Racinos are immensely popular as evident by the love New Yorkers have for places like Batavia Downs. In fact, 5,000 people attended its opening night. However, racinos are slightly more limited when it comes to casino games.

As mentioned previously, Racinos don’t carry live table games. So, although most of these places will claim to have hundreds of table and card titles, these are always electronic versions of the games. Nevertheless, racinos remain a popular choice and offer a lot of the same amenities that other NY casinos do.

Tribal Gaming

The most abundant casino option in the US is by far the Native American/Tribal/Indian Casino and the same goes for NY. There are more Indian casinos in New York than any other type of gambling site. Up until the state’s 2013 decision to open new casinos in New York, Native American gaming was the only casino option in the Empire State. The first tribal gaming location opened in 1993 after the passage of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The first site was run by the Oneida Indian Nation, which is one of four tribes that operate NY’s federally approved casinos. The other tribes are the Seneca Nation, Cayuga Nation, and the St. Regis Mohawk tribe.

Tribal gambling remains the most popular form of casino play in New York because it offered the first Vegas-like experience in the state. Residents near the state line always had the option to pop on over to Canada or New Jersey, but the approval of gambling licenses for Native American tribes finally gave New Yorkers options for in-state play. Places like Akwesasne Mohawk are considered some of the top casinos in New York.

Other Factors to Consider

When choosing a casino, the games selection and resort amenities are important factors. Look for features like entertainment options and awards when planning your next casino getaway. We consider the following criteria when selecting our top land-based casinos in New York.

Location

Residents of Upstate New York are spoilt when it comes to casino options because most of the commercial gambling locations are based in the northern part of the state. This is because the law which allowed the opening of commercial gambling establishments, did so with the assumption that casinos would boost the economy of an economically depressed region of the state. Residents of the Big Apple are limited to one option, which is the Resorts World New York City Racino in Queens. For traditional table games, players will have to travel out of the city. That’s why it is important to find a gambling establishment located in a place suitable to your needs. If you need a complete overview of NY casinos you can visit, look no further than this detailed map of casinos in New York at Casinos.us. Read the full text +

Hotel

If you plan to make a trip out of your gambling outing, you’ll want to be sure to choose a resort that has a nice hotel suitable to the needs of you, and if you have one your family. Many of the tribal and commercial gambling resorts have put a lot of effort into their hotels that feature amenities such as golf courses, spas, pools, and lounges.

Entertainment and Dining

At the most popular resorts, you can expect to find concerts, comedy shows, world-class dining, clubs and more. The  Seneca Allegany Resort even features a large outdoor venue, which can accommodate famous musical acts. Travis Tritt, Toby Keith, Jackson Browne and Ringo Star are only a few of the big names that have graced the resort’s outdoor stage.

Reward Programs and Promotions

Before booking your casino trip, it’s crucial to check for rewarding programs and promotions. These can save your money down the line, offering perks like free play, dining discounts, and special event access, making your visit even more enjoyable and memorable.