New York’s Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB) has just recommended three in-person gambling facilities to the state’s Gaming Commission for licensure consideration. This comes amid a split within consumer behaviors and brings into question the future of gambling in the state.

As per reports, the casinos in question will be located in Queens and the Bronx if approved. It is worth noting that several other bids for casinos in New York have been put forward but were declined by the Location Board. Going into 2026, the scene within New York could shape up to be rather interesting.

Betting In-Person and Virtually

These days, there is a split in the ways that consumers tend to access gambling services. In the past, these sorts of in-person establishments that might be launching soon in New York were the only option if you were to play casino games. Now, online casino options are available and even more popular among some groups of consumers. The freedom to play casino games at any time and from anywhere has proven to be a hit among consumers. What’s more, everything from slots to poker is available, meaning users are spoiled for choice (source: https://www.cardplayer.com/online-poker).

General statistics show that online gambling revenue has been growing for years and shows no signs of stopping. With that in mind, some wonder about whether land-based establishments are still relevant in 2025 and beyond.

The Future of Gambling

But as we can see from the casino approvals in New York, in-person options still have a market. Besides the three that were approved, three others, including proposed casinos in Coney Island and Manhattan, were denied.

There is such a rush to establish these casinos because they are deemed to be highly profitable. According to the Gaming Facility Location Board, these casinos are on track to generate $5.5 billion in revenue by 2033. The location in the Bronx is believed to be a $4 billion, three-million-square-foot complex that will feature 3,500 slot machines, over 500 hotel rooms,  a 2,000-seat event center, and even a nightclub.

This will appeal not just to the locals but to tourists as well. We’ve seen how the casino industry can power entire cities’ economies. And given the millions of people who visit New York every year, the revenue that could flow into the various communities is immense.

“Paired with the creation of thousands of new jobs, long-term economic investment by Bally’s, and a design premised on activation, this project is built to uplift the community on multiple fronts,” says Joyen Vakil, Global Hospitality Director for Gensler (the architecture firm for the Bronx project).

Like all large-scale projects, especially casinos, there has been pushback. Some residents were in support of other casino-building bids, including one backed by hip-hop star Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter. Others are skeptical about the financial benefits and how they will trickle down to the community. Before the end of 2025 or early 2026, we should get confirmation about these proposals and hopefully, more information on a launch date.