On June 27, bids for one of three downstate casino licenses in New York will be due. The possibility of siting casinos in the heavily populated, tourist-heavy New York City metropolitan region, which is largely an untapped market, drew the attention of many heavy hitters in the industry, and as many as a dozen bids were in the mix early on. As the deadline approaches, some bidders have been dropping out while others have doubled down, shoring up local support and securing required land use changes. If all goes according to plan, licenses could be awarded by the end of the year.
Of course, this is only one milestone in the steady expansion of gambling activities in and around New York. Native American tribes have long offered gambling on their lands, and over a decade ago the state authorized a few upstate casinos. Sports betting has exploded in popularity as well, with New York becoming an epicenter of activity for the sector.
City & State’s Casino & Sports Betting Trailblazers list recognizes the key players in this space, including major casino bidders, public officials, lobbyists, lawyers, academics and executives of an array of tech and financial companies that underpin the growing industry…