New York casinos are coming out of the gate at a fast pace in 2026.
New York's four full-scale commercial casinos had an impressive month, showing growth and resilience in an ever-changing gaming landscape.
According to the New York State Gaming Commission, these casinos collectively generated $58.7 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR), which is an 8.7% increase compared to January 2025. It also comes off a December that presented a mixed bag of revenue.
This strong start to the year suggests a positive trend for the sector, which posted modest 2% overall revenue growth in 2025, totaling around $691.7 million.
All this while New York's downstate casinos get the ball rolling on their plans.
- Resorts World is in the process of turning Aqueduct Racetrack into a casino.
- The parking lots around Citi Field will become a casino, resort, and a park called the Hard Rock Metropolitan Park.
- Bally’s is going to build a casino and hotel near its Ferry Point golf course.
So, needless to say, there is a lot going on when it comes to the casino industry in the Empire State.
Breaking Down the New York Casino Numbers
The main driver of growth for New York's casinos was slot machines, which include electronic table games.
Slots generated $42.8 million in revenue, representing a 14.6% increase from the previous year. However, table games didn’t fare as well, bringing in $14.6 million—a slight 1.6% decrease compared to January 2025. This decline in table games could be due to several factors, such as seasonal changes or competition from other gaming options like sports betting.
One casino that stands out in the report is Del Lago Resort and Casino.
It achieved the strongest performance among the four casinos, with its total revenue increasing by 15.2% to $12.7 million. Del Lago's slots were up by 13.2% to $10 million, and notably, its table games revenue surged by 34.7% to $2.4 million. This made Del Lago the only casino to see an increase in table games revenue during January.
New York Sports Betting Leads The Charge
It's important to note that while these commercial casino figures are impressive, New York's gambling scene is largely dominated by mobile sports betting.
In January, mobile sports betting in the state generated around $2.44 billion in handle, with GGR of $250-$260 million. This shows that although brick-and-mortar casinos are performing well, they are just part of a larger gambling industry ecosystem.
Moreover, the commercial casino sector might soon face new competition. For example, locations like Resorts World New York City are in the process of expanding to offer more traditional casino games like table games, which could affect revenue distributions in the coming years.
2026 Off To Promising Start in New York
Overall, the January gaming revenue report for New York's full-scale casinos paints a promising picture for the new year.
With significant growth in slot revenue and standout performances from casinos like Del Lago, the sector shows its resilience and potential for continued success, even as it navigates competition and changing market dynamics.
As the year progresses, it will be interesting to see how these casinos adapt and grow in the broader context of New York's thriving gambling landscape.
