More than a decade after voters approved expanding gambling in the state, New York City’s first full-scale casino with live table games opened to gamblers on Tuesday.
Resorts World, owned by Malaysia-based Genting, beat out gaming giants such as: Wynn Resorts, las vegas sands, caesars entertainment and MGM Resorts Obtaining one of three new casino licenses.
This was the first launch for the company, which already operated one of the most profitable slots and electronic gambling facilities in the world. Resorts World New York City is adjacent to Aqueduct Racetrack and just a few miles from John F. Kennedy International Airport.
“We received our license on December 15th and will be welcoming guests to our new casino floor on April 28th,” Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said in an interview.
Genting BHD Executive Chairman Lim Kok Tay (center), along with rapper Nasir “Nas” Bin Or Dara Jones (center right) and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. (third from right), roll the ceremonial first die at the Resorts World New York City (RWNYC) Casino in Queens, New York, USA, on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Adam Gray | Bloomberg | Getty Images
To operate roulette, craps, baccarat, and blackjack, Resorts World hired several dealers from casinos in other states. But the company also runs a dealer college of sorts, training locals to handle table action.
The company says its current expansion has already created more than 1,200 new jobs, with an additional 500 expected by this summer.
The company is also building the city’s first sportsbook, although it hasn’t opened yet.
“We hit the jackpot, Queens!” Borough President Donovan Richards declared at the opening of the ceremony.
“I’ve always dreamed of Queens becoming an international entertainment capital, and this is certainly part of that puzzle,” Richards said.
Queens-raised hip-hop star Nas is a partner in the project and performed at the opening.
“This is just the beginning. We’re going to expand and do things that everyone is excited about. So that’s where Queens is right now,” he told CNBC.
The project has faced criticism, with some local residents concerned about the potential for increased crime and traffic as a result of the development.
Currently, casinos are city monopolies, which means they pay a 63% state tax on slots revenue and 30% on table game revenue. The company included a clause in its bid for the license that would reduce its tax rate to the level it would pay if a competitor started operating.
It will be years before other casinos open. Bally’s is building a casino on a Bronx golf course it purchased from the Trump Organization. Meanwhile, Hard Rock is partnering with hedge fund manager and Mets owner Steve Cohen to plan a large-scale development near Citi Field, where the baseball team plays.
The three companies were selected by the State Gambling Commission in 2025 following a multi-year process to grant licenses to Lower New York after being approved in a 2013 referendum.
The state says the three casinos could generate $7 billion in gaming tax revenue over 10 years, and CBRE projects annual gaming revenue of up to $5.6 billion at maturity under a bullish scenario.
“We are changing the landscape of New York forever with a building that will never close,” said Kevin Jones, chief strategy officer of Resorts World New York.
