New York City’s first large-scale casino offering live table games opened its doors to players Tuesday, more than a decade after voters approved the expansion of gambling in the state.
Resorts World, owned by Malaysia-based Genting, has beaten gaming giants such as Hotels in Wynn, Sands of Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment And MGM Resorts to obtain one of three new casino licenses.
It was the first to launch because it already operated a slot machine and electronic games facility, one of the most profitable in the world. Resorts World New York City is adjacent to the Aqueduct Racetrack and just a few miles from John F. Kennedy International Airport.
“We got the license on December 15 and here we are, on April 28, welcoming our guests to the new casino,” Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said in an interview.
Genting Bhd Executive Chairman Lim Kok Thay, center, performs a ceremonial first throw of the dice alongside rapper Nasir “Nas” bin Olu Dara Jones, center right, and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., third right, at the Resorts World New York City (RWNYC) casino in the borough of Queens in New York, the United States, Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Adam Gray | Bloomberg | Getty Images
To handle roulette, craps, baccarat and blackjack, Resorts World recruited dealers from casinos in other states. But it also runs a dealer school of sorts, training locals to handle the action at the table.
The company says the current expansion has already created more than 1,200 new jobs, with an additional 500 new hires expected by this summer.
Although not yet open, the company is also building a sportsbook, which will be the first in the city.
“We hit the jackpot, Queens!” said Borough President Donovan Richards during the opening ceremony.
“I’ve always dreamed of Queens becoming an international entertainment hub, and this is certainly part of that puzzle,” Richards said.
Nas, the Queens-raised hip-hop star, is a partner in the project and performed at the opening.
“It’s just the beginning. So it’s about to expand and do things that everyone is going to be excited about. So Queens is where we’re at,” he told CNBC.
The project has faced criticism as some residents are concerned about a potential increase in crime and traffic following the development.
For now, the casino will have a municipal monopoly, for which it says it pays 63 percent state taxes on slot revenue and 30 percent on table game revenue. In its license application, the company included a clause stipulating that its tax rate will be reduced to the level that its competitors pay once they are operational.
It will take years for other casinos to open. Bally’s is building a casino on a Bronx golf course purchased from the Trump Organization. Meanwhile, Hard Rock planned a massive development in partnership with hedge fund manager and Mets owner Steve Cohen near Citi Field, where the baseball team plays.
The three companies were selected by the state Gaming Commission in 2025 following a multi-year process to award licenses to the Upstate New York region following a referendum approved in 2013.
The state says the three casinos could generate $7 billion in gaming tax revenue over a decade and CBRE projects annual mature gaming revenue could reach $5.6 billion in a bullish scenario.
“We are forever changing the landscape of New York with a building that will never close,” said Kevin Jones, chief strategy officer of Resorts World New York.