New York: Bill to expedite casino licenses stalls as August deadline approaches

A bill that aimed to accelerate the bidding process for three new downstate casino licenses in New York appears to have stalled, with its proposed deadline now seemingly abandoned.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Addabbo and passed by both the House and Senate in June, set a deadline of August 31, 2024, for bid submissions. However, the bill has yet to be signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, and with mid-August already here, the consensus is that the deadline will likely not be enforced.

Casino operators and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, the bill’s co-sponsor, indicated to Newsday that the August 31 deadline is effectively dead. According to reports, Governor Hochul’s administration has not requested the state legislature to forward the bill for signature.

In a late June meeting, the New York Gaming Facility Location Board approved a new bid submission deadline of June 27, 2025, citing the tight timeline imposed by the original August 2024 deadline as overly restrictive.

Board member Stuart Rabinowitz noted that the August deadline would have placed undue pressure on some applicants, creating an uneven playing field. The new deadline allows applicants more time to prepare comprehensive proposals, while still providing the board ample time to review submissions before the final approval deadline of December 31, 2025.

New York law allows for three commercial casino licenses to be awarded in the downstate region, including New York City and surrounding areas. Several major operators, including Bally’s, Caesars, MGM Resorts, Hard Rock, Las Vegas Sands, and Mohegan, have already submitted proposals for sites ranging from Times Square in Manhattan to Long Island and the Bronx. These bids must include provisions for zoning changes and environmental impact assessments.