Resorts World – New York City’s First Full Casino Opens in Queens

Legendary musician and investor Nas participated in a ceremonial dice roll on Tuesday to mark the opening of Resorts World Queens, New York City's first full-scale casino with live table games.

Situated in Ozone Park, Queens, near JFK Airport and the historic Aqueduct Racetrack, the new casino is an extension of Resorts World New York City.

The upgrade transforms Resorts World into the city’s first Las Vegas-style casino, with more than 200 table games, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and craps, as well as more than 2,500 slot-style video lottery terminals (VLTs).

The casino now employs over 2,200 people, including 950 new table-game dealers, according to Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, the company that owns and runs the establishment.

 

The Next Phase

And this is just phase one. Genting has pledged to invest $5.5 billion in turning Resorts World New York City into a destination integrated resort, featuring a new hotel, a 7,000-seat entertainment venue, more than 12 acres of public green space, expanded shopping and dining options, and additional gaming capacity.

With the extension, the resort will have 2,000 rooms overall, making it the biggest hotel complex in New York City.

One of the main horse racing grounds in New York State, the Aqueduct Racetrack, has long been located on the property. After state legislators permitted racetracks to use video lottery terminals (VLTs), Genting was granted permission to construct a racino at Aqueduct in 2011.

Thanks to its location within the most populous area of the US, it quickly became one of the highest-grossing slots venues in the nation.

 

Two More Are on the Way

In 2013, voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing up to seven full commercial casinos in the state. While a ten-year moratorium prevented the construction of new gaming establishments downstate, four casinos were constructed in Upstate New York between 2014 and 2015. That gave the upstate casinos time to survive without competition from New York City.

State legislators expedited the state budget's deadline in 2022. In 2025, three projects received licenses to run full-scale casinos, including Resorts World. Another is the $8.1 billion Hard Rock-branded resort that Mets owner Steve Cohen has proposed to build near to Citi Field.

Meanwhile, Bally’s plans a $4 billion venue at the Ferry Point golf course in the Bronx, though both are years away from completion.

A significant portion of Atlantic City's primary clientele—day visitors from the New York metro area—may be diverted by the opening of casinos in New York City.

As a result, there are growing proposals to legalize casinos in North Jersey, such as those at the Meadowlands or Monmouth Park racetracks. This would necessitate a constitutional amendment approved by New Jersey voters.