New York Casinos

In total, there are more than a couple dozen casinos, including tribal, commercial, and racinos. The first tribal gaming location opened in 1993, but the first legitimate casino, Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, opened in 2003.

However, it wouldn’t be until 2013 where New York would legalize “Vegas-style” casinos beyond Native American land.

There are currently only four locations that are approved for sports betting. These places are located in Upstate New York and began in 2019. As of April 2021, mobile sports betting law has passed but has yet to be implemented.

Real-money online casinos

Real-money mobile/online casino play still isn’t permitted, however. It appears that the chain of command with online gaming starts with sports betting nowadays, which has a trickle-down effect on online gambling and eventually poker.

Throughout New York, other walk-in storefronts also offer some form of casino play, such as slots and the lottery.

New York voters approved the lottery at a 60 percent favor back in 1966. Today, there are multiple lottery games players can play, including the multi-state “MEGA Millions.” There is also iLottery, which is subscription-based. This allows players more ways to play the lottery in New York.

So, as of right now, the state is moving toward mobile sports betting, which in turn means that online casino play and poker should be on the way.

It’s been a long, winding road, but it appears that all gambling sectors, both retail and online, should be coming to fruition in the state relatively soon.

New York Tribal Casinos

LakeSide Entertainment

Operated by the Cayuga Nation since 2004 and located approximately 40 miles southwest of Syracuse, LakeSide Entertainment is a small venue in terms of size. Still, it provides a great location for gaming with 86 electronic gaming machines. They are one of the only casinos in the Finger Lakes area to offer progressives with some of their machines and claim to be the only gaming location to offer the Wide Area Progressive machine.

Point Place Casino

Located 15 miles northwest of Syracuse, Point Place Casino is a hub for gaming and entertainment. With over 500 slot titles to their credit, Point Place offers one of the widest selections of slots amongst New York tribal casinos. This property also carries ten live table games, including blackjack, craps, and Let It Ride.

Point Place also has a sportsbook that is partnered with Caesars Entertainment, making them one of the only tribal venues to have one. There are always ongoing gambling promotions at this location as well, in addition to all of the entertainment offerings they have almost on a daily basis.

Turning Stone Resort and Casino

First and foremost, I just want to say that Turning Stone Resort and Casino is my personal favorite casino in the entire country. It is my home casino, and I believe it to be the most elegant venue in the state. Located in the heart of Central New York, Turning Stone has a massive bingo hall, a state-of-the-art poker room running games of all stakes, and has a Caesars Entertainment-affiliated sportsbook.

Turning Stone carries over 2,000 slots on the premises, with plenty of table games running at all times. There are also plenty of dining options, from fine dining steakhouses to fast food at the food courts. The hotel is also massive and is broken down into the hotel connected to the gaming floor, a separate inn, and ‘The Tower,’ which includes suites and other luxury offerings.

Yellow Brick Road Casino

Located in the heart of upstate New York, Yellow Brick Road Casino stands as one of the only brick-and-mortar casinos in the state to offer a sportsbook and live table games. Yellow Brick Road offers over 300 slots in addition.

Their sportsbook, partnered with Caesars Sports, is the largest sportsbook in the entire state and offers slots within the book along with tons of flat-screen TVs and betting windows. They currently run 14 table games at Yellow Brick Road, including blackjack, craps, and Let It Ride. On the premises, there is a bowling alley, a golf course, and plenty of entertainment and dining options.

Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort

Situated just five miles from the Canadian border, Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort is one of the most complete casinos in the state and has been in operation since 1999.

It stands as the only gaming hub within a 50-mile radius, so it practically has a monopoly on all gambling in the far north portion of Upstate New York. Akwesasne Mohawk offers a selection of 1,150 slot machines in addition to a variety of table games, including blackjack, craps, and roulette.

This location also includes a wide variety of electronic table games, as well. Akwesasne Mohawk has a sportsbook on the premises that includes eighteen flat-screen TVs, a full bar and restaurant, a dozen betting windows, and two kiosks. This casino resort also has a bingo hall for those interested while accommodating their players with a hotel and RV park on the premises.

Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel

Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel, located in the southwest corner of the state, is one of the most eye-popping properties in the state and has been operating since 2004. With over 1,600 slot machines in tow, they offer one of the widest selections in New York.

Seneca Allegany also has 30 live table games running at most times of day, including multiple blackjack variations, roulette, and craps. Let It Ride, and Three Card Poker are also a favorite amongst those gambling at Seneca Allegany. This location also has a sportsbook with 24/7 kiosks entitled The Sports Lounge.

Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino

Opened in 2007, Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino has a lot to offer those in the Buffalo area or those passing through on vacation. Seneca Buffalo Creek claims to have over 1,000 slots on their property, all while offering a variety of table games.

This location offers over 30 table games, including blackjack, craps, and roulette. Seneca Buffalo Creek also has an outstanding sportsbook that features daily promotions, 24/7 betting kiosks, and a full-scale lounge. On the premises, there are also three dining options that range from fast food service to fine dining.

Seneca Gaming and Entertainment Oil Spring

Seneca Gaming and Entertainment Oil Spring has been operating since 2014 in Cuba, NY, approximately 70 miles from Buffalo. While Seneca’s Oil Spring location is one of the smallest gaming locations in the state, it still provides an excellent selection of options for gamblers of every type.

The Oil Spring ‘Game Room’ offers over 100 video slot machines on the property. There are currently no live table games offered, and there is no poker room at this Seneca Gaming location. Oil Spring is offering new promotions for their patrons on a daily basis, making playing there an even better opportunity.

Seneca Gaming and Entertainment Salamanca

Seneca Gaming and Entertainment Salamanca is one of the more complete properties in terms of gaming options within the Seneca Gaming network. The property currently offers over 340 options in video gaming machines in their newly-renovated Game Room.

There is also a massive bingo hall on-site, in addition to a poker room. However, their poker room is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is also one of the newer properties in New York State, as it just opened in summer 2020.

Seneca Gaming and Entertainment Irving

Seneca Gaming and Entertainment Irving is located along the Canadian border and has been in operation since 2002. Offering over 650 video gaming machines, the Irving location offers the highest number of slots out of any of the Seneca and Gaming Entertainment properties in the state.

The Irving location is small in size but has an enormous bingo hall in addition to their gaming floor.

Seneca Niagara Casino and Hotel

Seneca Niagara Casino and Hotel is one of the most attractive casinos in New York due to its beautiful scenery and extensive gaming floor size. Seneca Niagara has over 2,500 reel and video slot machines, making it one of the three largest casinos for slots in the state.

In addition to their massive slot offerings, Seneca Niagara also has over 60 table games to choose from, including popular blackjack titles, baccarat, and Three Card Poker. Their sportsbook, known as the Sports Lounge, is an enormous display with 24/7 betting kiosks, wide-screen TVs, and more. There are tons of dining options as well, ranging from fast food to luxury fare.

Shinnecock Casino Hamptons

While Shinnecock Casino Hamptons is not entirely constructed yet, the plans are in place to bring another gaming venue to Long Island. In February 2020, the Shinnecock Indian Nation announced plans to construct this casino on their reservation, with a date to break ground set for the summer of 2021.

While construction is currently slowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and because of the Hamptons’ wealthy elites dismayed by the tribal plans for Shinnecock Casino Hamptons, this is still supposed to be in operation soon. It was originally scheduled to open its doors in the summer of 2022, but that timeline could be delayed slightly due to the aforementioned problems.

New York Commercial Casinos

As mentioned, New York has commercial casinos and racinos. The main difference between a casino and a racino is that racinos combine both casino play with betting on racing of some kind. This could include dog racing or horse racing.

Here are all of the commercial casinos and racinos located in New York:

Batavia Downs Casino

Batavia Downs Casino, located an hour east of Buffalo, has been serving the Upstate New York area since 1940, when it originated as a race track. It is currently operating as an independent gaming location with no parent company. Batavia Downs has transformed into a full-fledged ‘racino’ with tons of gaming options available in the last couple of decades.

While Batavia Downs does not offer any table games at the moment, they offer a wide selection of slots, with over 600 to choose from. There is no sportsbook on the premises, but there is a racetrack if you are interested in betting on horse races. There are also five restaurants to choose from on the property, along with a hotel.

Del Lago Resort and Casino

Del Lago Resort and Casino, located approximately 30 miles southwest of Syracuse, is one of the premier options for sports bettors and poker enthusiasts in the state. It is a relatively new location as it began operation in 2017.

DraftKings has a 6,000 square foot sportsbook at Del Lago that has 23 betting kiosks, a full bar, and four betting windows. The casino also has a poker room that hosts games of stakes anywhere from $300 NL to $500 NL. In addition, Del Lago also boasts a slots total of over 1,700 machines.

Outside of the gaming experience, this location also has a shopping galleria and a plethora of dining options.

Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway

Empire City Casino, located just 15 miles from Manhattan, has become one of the leading gaming destinations in the New York City area. Operating under the MGM Resorts tag since 2006, Empire City Casino is void of any live table games but does have a plethora of video table game options, including blackjack and baccarat.

This location also has a plethora of slot options, with the casino website claiming to have over 4,600 slots and video table game machines in total. While Empire City does not have a sportsbook or poker room, they do have a racetrack for those interested in horse racing.

Hamburg Gaming

Hamburg Gaming, formerly known as Fairgrounds Gaming, is operated by Delaware North and owned by Buffalo Trotting Association. This gaming hub is located at the Erie County Fairgrounds and the former location of the Buffalo Raceway and has been designated as a racino since 2010, with a rich history dating back to the 1940s.

The 55,000 square-foot gaming floor has over 900 machines with tons of penny slots and video poker options to choose from. The gaming floor also has five different eating options enclosing it, including commercial options and a buffet.

Jake’s 58 Hotel and Casino

Jake’s 58 Hotel and Casino, located on Long Island, is relatively new to the New York gaming scene as it began operating in May 2017. According to their website, Jake’s 58 offers over 1,000 video lottery terminal machines that include variations of all major table games.

There is no sportsbook or poker room at this location, but there are four horse racing betting kiosks outfitted with simulcast technology. Their 227-room hotel and array of dining options keep Jake’s 58 firmly in the conversation for one of the top destinations for gaming in the state of New York. Given how new this casino is, there is an expectation that it continues to grow as their revenue does.

Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack

Located in the heart of central New York, Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack has become a favorite for many of those looking to make a pit stop between Buffalo and New York City. Finger Lakes is operated by Delaware North and is in direct association with Lucky North’s social casino.

This location has over 1,100 gaming machines, including penny slots, high limit slots, and video poker. While Finger Lakes boasts a ton of amazing restaurants, the main attraction here is the racetrack. Finger Lakes Gaming offers tons of incentives to place action on horse racing, including handicapping competitions and jackpots not found elsewhere in the state.

Resorts World Catskills

Resorts World Catskills, located along the eastern border of Pennsylvania and New York, has been in operation since February 2018. One of the largest casinos in the state, Resorts World Catskills offers a gaming floor with 1,600 slot machines, 150 live table games, and a full poker room offering stakes from $300 NL to an uncapped $25/$50 game that runs on occasion.

Resorts World also houses one of the only poker rooms in New York that regularly holds pot-limit Omaha, stud, and limit Omaha games. Their sportsbook, entitled Sportsbook 360, features a 6,000 square-foot floor with 32 jumbo flat-screen television sets, and 30 betting kiosks.

If you are looking for a full gambling experience, Resorts World Catskills offers one of the best within the state.

Resorts World New York City

Resorts World New York City, located in Queens, is one of the largest venues within the United States for slots. Their slot selection is so extensive that they have annually generated a top-five revenue in the nation since their arrival in 2011.

In total, Resorts World NYC carries over 6,500 slot machines and is conveniently located in the big city. While there are no live table games offered here, there are over 1,600 electronic table game machines in operation at Resorts World New York City. This location has no poker room or sportsbook, but holds a top-notch hotel and amazing dining options on the premises.

Rivers Casino and Resort

While Rivers Casino and Resort is located in an awkward spot within the state, it is still one of the best brick-and-mortar casinos around. Established in 2016, Rivers Casino has it all. While their poker room is currently non-operational due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they still have table games and slots galore.

While their website does not list an exact number of live table games, Rivers Casino claims to regularly run 12 different types of games, including blackjack, baccarat, craps, and roulette. Their sportsbook is one of the most astounding in the state, offering 14 betting kiosks and eight teller windows, along with 22 jumbo TV screens.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway

Located about 30 miles north of Albany, Saratoga Casino and Raceway is one of the more well-rounded casinos in the state. This location offers a beautiful hotel/casino with over 1,200 slot titles, a variety of electronic table games, and video poker and keno options.

The property also carries a lot of great dining options, including the commercial steakhouse Morton’s. Saratoga also has consistent live performances in their nightclub. Their live racing scene is also one of the biggest draws, as Saratoga Springs has hosted races since 1941. They have daily simulcast wagering as well.

Tioga Downs and Casino

The state of New York made a formal announcement that Tioga Downs and Casino would be closing their doors in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they are still operating even though their future might be bleak.

This property, located five miles from the southern border with Pennsylvania, offers 28 different table game variations and a poker room that offers exclusively low-stakes action. Tioga Downs also carries a grand total of 897 slot titles in addition to a 2,600 square-foot FanDuel Sportsbook with eight betting windows. While the future at one point looked ominous for Tioga Downs, things are now looking up.

History of Upstate Casino Legalization

The history of casino legalization in New York dates back to the 1966 lottery vote.

After voting yes to the lottery with 60 percent favor, a government-run lottery officially began the following year. At the turn of the decade in 1970, off-track betting was also legalized in New York.

The neighboring New Jersey legalized gambling in Atlantic City in 1976. However, this would prove not to have much of an effect on New York legalizing gambling.

It wasn’t until the September 11th tragedy when New York started taking a closer look at gambling. Considered a “post-9/11 revenue-raising move”, the state legalized several Indian casinos and permitted Video Lottery Terminals at racetracks, thus creating the racino.

While the lottery had been in place since the mid-1960s, the first multi-state lottery tickets were purchased. What was once referred to as “The Big Name” was now renamed “MEGA Millions.” New York would also join the Powerball in 2010.

These are all critical stepping-stones because, in 2013, New York State passed the Upstate NY Economic Development Gaming Act. This allowed voters to approve full casinos. From there, four commercial-casino resorts were authorized.

Finally, from July-September 2019, retail sports betting would be allowed at the same commercial casino-resorts.

NY online gaming options

Through this massive timeline, real-money online casinos are still illegal in the state. There have been times throughout the years where the state has looked at other online gaming options such as sports betting and online poker. Online sports betting will be coming to the state, but online poker kind of fell by the wayside.

With online poker, it has been looked at over the years. The most recent look at online poker was in 2019. However, it appears that online poker discussion is virtually non-existent right now.

This was under the Andrew Cuomo regime. Cuomo was recently ousted from his position, so perhaps the next New York Governor regime will take a closer look at it.

Sweepstakes Casinos Online In New York

Real-money online casino play is still illegal in New York. However, if you are over 18 years old, you can play games at NY sweepstakes casinos. Sweepstakes casinos don’t allow players to make deposits or withdrawals, but they do have ways to redeem cash prizes. There are a few of these sweepstakes casinos available to players in New York. Read below to find out about some of the top ones available.

Pulsz Casino

At Pulsz Casino, players have access to some of the best casino games available, including slots, table games and more. The entire catalog of games can be played using Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins.

Should you find yourself low on either virtual currency, One of the things Pulsz is known for is its slew of great promotions. It’s easy to keep your account topped off with Pulsz Casino’s promo deals, including a daily login bonus that rewards you for regularly logging into your Pulsz Casino account.

When you’ve accumulated enough Sweeps Coins, you can exchange them to redeem some great prizes, including cash prizes. This makes Pulsz Casino one of the most reliable ways for New York players to get cash from their online casino play.

Fortune Coins

If you’re looking for a fun and exciting online casino to play at, Fortune Coins is a great option. This sweepstakes casino is available to players in New York, and it features dozens of slot games as well as other game types, like table games and a popular fishing game.

You can use Gold Coins on the games at Fortune Coins to play for fun. Instead of Sweeps Coins, the online casino uses FC, or Fortune Coins. Once you’ve accumulated a minimum of Fortune Coins, FC, they can be redeemed as prizes, including cash prizes.

Chumba Casino

Chumba casino online is among the top sweepstakes casinos in the country. This is no doubt due to the fact that it is one of the few sweepstakes casinos that offers table games. Here, you can play slots and table games such as Roulette and Blackjack.

Additionally, Chumba has more than 100 slot titles for players in search of reel-spinning action. Like Pulsz and other sweepstakes casino sites, Chumba Casino allows players to play for free with Gold Coins or use Sweeps Coins to redeem cash prizes.

Funzpoints

Funzpoints offers slots and table games as well. However, there is standard and premium mode. With premium, you can unlock all of the games right away and also play ad-free.

There are also standard Funzpoints and Premium Funzpoints. These serve as the virtual currencies on Funzpoints in lieu of the standard Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins of other sweepstakes casinos. Much like Sweeps Coins, Premium Funzpoints can be redeemed for prizes such as gift cards and cash prizes. To find out more about the sweepstakes casino and its inner workings, don’t miss our complete rundown in our Funzpoints Casino full review.

b spot

b spot is highly unique compared to other online casinos. At b spot, the platform is centered around horse racing. There are slot games, but they are simply a way to show players what they won via horse racing. You still need to register at b spot the same way you would for a real-money online casino.

For example, you will need to give the last four digits of your social security number when registering. From there, you will need to purchase a wager pack. The amount of the wager pack is then placed on live horse racing events. This happens behind the scenes without any further action needed by the player.

Once your bets are underway, you will receive an amount of casino credits equal to the amount of the wager pack you purchased. You can then use these credits to play any of b spot’s slot games, instant win games, and arcade-style games.

New York Free Online Casinos

Online social casinos have become increasingly popular in New York in recent years. This is likely due to the fact that they offer players a fun, convenient, and bonus bets way to enjoy some of their favorite casino games. In addition, many of these casinos offer players unique bonuses and rewards for logging in and playing regularly.

Casino4Fun

BetRivers Casino4Fun is in a class of its own in terms of free online casinos. Here you’ll find the most expansive game library in the social casino gaming industry. The variety of casino games accessible here is greater than that found in several real-money online casinos. There are even live dealer games on the site, and it’s absolutely free to play!

The best part about Casino4Fun is that it’s absolutely free to play. In fact, there’s no way to deposit cash onto the site at all. Instead, players use a virtual currency called VC to play casino games. VC has no value and exists only for playing games on the site.

MyJackpot Casino

MyJackpot Casino is a social casino that offers its players a huge selection of slot games to choose from. The site uses virtual currency, in the form of Chips, to allow players to bet on the hundreds of titles available on the site. Although MyJackpot Casino does not offer any real-world prizes, it more than makes up for it in terms of entertainment value.

The site has daily quests that give players special in-game bonuses and benefits for logging in and playing the slots regularly. In addition, MyJackpot Casino has exclusive titles that can only be found on the site. So whether you’re a casual player or a slot-playing fanatic, there’s something for everyone to enjoy on this free social casino. If you want to find out for yourself, check out our in-depth Myjackpot review before you join.

Lounge777 Casino

Players in New York who are looking for a great way to play slots without risking any money will want to check out Lounge777 Casino. This free-to-play online casino features hundreds of popular slot games, all of which can be played directly in your web browser with no download required.

In addition to a comprehensive selection of slots, Lounge777 Casino also offers players daily quests and other ways to win prizes and rewards. With its unique look and approach to social casino gaming, Lounge777 is a fun option for any New York player who wants to enjoy the fun and excitement of playing slots without having to worry about losing any money.

Free New York online poker

While online poker is illegal in New York, there is still an option to play poker online. This comes via Global Poker, an online social poker platform. Global Poker falls under the sweepstakes laws, and you can only win real money from large contests and prize pools as opposed to each game.

Competitive Landscape

The most intriguing part about New York’s resistance to some forms of online gaming is the states that surround it. When you open up a United States map, you’ll find that New York is bordered by Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Sure, Pennsylvania is a bit more recent with allowing online sports betting and casino play.

The most exciting aspect of this is New Jersey being open for business for quite some time. In fact, New Jersey dates back to the early 2010s for both online casinos and online poker. They were innovators of the industry. Yet, New York has remained resistant. So passing legislation for online sports betting was a massive milestone.

New York is viewed as a highly sought-after destination by online gambling fans and industry folks alike. This could mean an abundance of extra tax dollars for the state.

So, if you’re in New York, you do have options. You can either play sweepstakes online for money, as mentioned above, or venture to one of the bordering states to get the most bang for your buck until New York makes changes.

NY Casino Market Overview

Year first casino opened: Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel opened in 2003. However, the first tribal gaming location opened in 1993 and was run by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The first commercial casino, Tioga Downs Casino and Resort, commenced operations in December 2016.

• Number of commercial casinos: 5
• Number of tribal casinos: 12
• Number of gambling machines: 36,500+
• Annual commercial casino revenue: $2.73 billion
• Commercial gaming regulator: New York State Gaming Commission