New York City Is About to Get Its First Real Casino. Resorts World Opens Table Games in Queens by End of March 2026.
After 15 years of operating as a slots-only “racino” at the old Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, Resorts World New York City is about to become the first full commercial casino in New York City history. The New York State Gaming Commission gave final approval on December 15, 2025, awarding Resorts World one of three coveted downstate casino licenses.
The company says it will have hundreds of live table games — blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, baccarat — up and running by the end of March 2026. That makes it at least four years ahead of its two competitors: Hard Rock’s Metropolitan Park at Citi Field and Bally’s in the Bronx, both targeting 2030 openings.
When fully built out by 2030, Resorts World will become the largest casino in the United States. The numbers are staggering: a 500,000-square-foot gaming floor with 6,000 slot machines and 800 live table games, 2,000 hotel rooms built on top of the existing Hyatt Regency, a 7,000-seat entertainment arena, more than 30 restaurants and bars including concepts by celebrity chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Scott Conant, 12 acres of public green space, a sports and media complex shaped by Queens-born NBA legend Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and over 7,000 parking spaces. Total investment: $5.5 billion in physical expansion plus $2 billion in community benefits — $7.5 billion total…