When New York City’s Three Approved Casinos Will Open — and What to Expect at Launch

Following final approval from the New York State Gaming Commission on December 15, New York City’s long-awaited casino market is officially moving forward. Three projects — Resorts World New York City, Bally’s Bronx, and Hard Rock Metropolitan Park — will open on a staggered timeline, starting in 2026 and stretching through 2030.

Here is what players, visitors, and residents should expect — and when.

Resorts World New York City: First Casino Gaming Arrives in 2026

Resorts World New York City will be the first to open, leveraging its existing racino operations at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens.
The project is structured as a multi-phase expansion, rather than a single grand opening.

Phase One: 2026

Resorts World is expecting to open the first phase of the full-scale casino by mid-2026. The company says the existing casino floor is capable of accommodating up to 4,000 slot machines and 250 table games.

That means New York City could have traditional casino table games as early as the first half of next year.

Later Phases: 2027–2031

Subsequent phases will expand both gaming and non-gaming amenities. Plans submitted to regulators outline a long-term build-out that includes:

• A significantly larger casino floor. By 2030, it is expected to become the largest casino in the US, featuring 6,000 slot machines and 800 tables.
• A 2,000-room hotel
• A 7,000-seat arena
• Over 30 dining outlets
• Over a dozen acres of community greenspace

Resorts World estimates that the expansion will create 5,000 permanent union jobs and 5,000 union construction jobs. The company expects the project to create 14,000 indirect, permanent jobs throughout New York.

Since the property is already operating legally, Resorts World is positioned to move faster than its competitors, bringing full casino gaming to the city several years earlier than the rest. The accelerated timeline is expected to generate substantial early tax revenue for New York.

In addition to tax revenue, the operator has pledged $2.5 billion to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) over the next four years.

According to the company, that would exceed the MTA’s budget of $1.8 billion for the three casino license fees and tax payments from 2026 to 2029. According to its website, the project is expected to generate over $5 billion in revenue for the state within four years.

Notably, Resorts World will pay significantly higher taxes on gaming revenue than the state’s requirements.

Hard Rock Metropolitan Park: Full Opening Targeted for 2030

Hard Rock Metropolitan Park is a ground-up casino resort adjacent to Citi Field in Queens. Unlike Resorts World, it will not open to the public in stages. The developers anticipate commencing construction in 2026, with a target opening date around 2030.

When it opens, the Metropolitan Park project will feature:

• A casino gaming floor with approximately 5,000 slot machines and 375 table games, including 30 poker tables
• A 1,000-room hotel operated under the Hard Rock brand
• Hard Rock entertainment venue with over 5,000 seats.
• Restaurants, bars, and retail

The developers have also pitched a $1 billion investment in the community. At its heart will be a 25-acre public park and five acres of sports fields, intended for public use. They estimate the project will generate 23,000 jobs: 6,081 permanent and 17,100 construction.

Because this is a new build on previously non-casino land, nothing will open to the public until construction and regulatory approvals are fully complete.

The developers have not indicated whether they will open a temporary casino facility before the resort’s completion.

Bally’s Bronx: Casino Resort Also Slated for 2030

Bally’s Bronx, located at Ferry Point in the Bronx, follows a similar timeline to Hard Rock Metropolitan Park. The project is also a from-scratch development, with an anticipated opening in 2030.

Once completed, Bally’s Bronx will include:

• A large casino floor with around 3,500 slot machines and approximately 210–250 table games, and 40 poker tables.
• A 507-room hotel
• A 2,000-seat event center
• Dining, nightlife, and entertainment amenities
• Waterfront and outdoor space tied to the existing Ferry Point site

Bally’s has pledged 1% of gross gaming revenue to a Bronx benefit fund, with a guaranteed minimum of $15 million per year, as part of a broader $765 million community benefit investment.

The company anticipates that the project will generate about 4,000 permanent full-time jobs, in addition to 15,000 construction jobs.

As with Hard Rock, Bally’s has not indicated plans for an earlier partial opening.

What This Means for New York City

For the remainder of the decade, Resorts World will stand alone as New York City’s only operational commercial casino, gradually expanding while the other two projects are under construction.

By 2030, the city will have one fully built, long-operating casino in Queens and two newly opened destination resorts in Queens and the Bronx.

Taken together, the three projects represent tens of thousands of permanent and construction jobs, billions in private investment, and a new long-term revenue stream for the state and local communities.

The staggered timeline means New York City’s casino market will evolve gradually rather than arrive all at once — with the most immediate change coming in 2026, when live table games will be introduced to the city for the first time.