Some lawmakers in New York are calling for a speedier timeline to award three downstate casino licenses. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Two lawmakers in New York who have been at the core of gambling legislation expansion in recent years are questioning the length of time it’s taking to approve three downstate casino licenses. The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) revealed recently that it now won’t be until December 31, 2025 before it selects the successful bidders.

miss out on $2bn and thousands of new jobs

Assemblyman Gary Pretlow and Senator Joseph Addabbo believe that the state will miss out on $2bn and thousands of new jobs as a result of the slow application process. With the current legislative session ending on June 6, they have pitched legislation that would speed up the timeline. They are calling for the bidding to end on July 31, 2024 and for the state’s gaming regulator to choose the successful recipients by March 31, 2025.

One big hurdle for applicants is land rezoning issues so a longer application process favors those projects that need to sort out these problems, such as a potential casino beside the New York Mets’ Citi Field. A speedier timeline would be more beneficial to the two existing slots parlors in the city as they could get up and running with expanded gaming operations relatively quickly.