NY’s Tioga Downs Gets Casino License

The East Coast gambling industry just added a new major player this week as New York’s Tioga Downs received approval for its casino license. The racetrack and electronic gambling facility in New York’s Southern Tier will soon be adding poker and other Las Vegas-style table games.

The license was approved by a unanimous vote in the New York Gaming Commission on Tuesday. It was recommended for a casino license last year in the state’s first round of a planned gambling expansion that was four years in the making. However, Tioga was rejected in favor of three other casinos, the Montreign, Rivers Casino, and Lago Resort and Casino, which were approved for licenses last December.

Tioga Downs will have to wait a little longer to fully launch their casino plans while the commission approves regulations, possibly in November. The infrastructure for poker tournaments and more is ready to go, as Tioga began construction on a hotel, a new restaurant and other amenities last year when they were recommended for the license.

Tioga Downs will join the state’s nine racetrack casinos, five tribal casinos, and the three casinos approved just last year. The newly approved casinos licenses grant permission for hotels, restaurants, performance centers, as well as slot machines and poker rooms.

New York’s four new casinos add even more competition to the already struggling Atlantic City, which has lost more than half their revenues since 2006. In honor of the expansion Tioga Downs will be offering a $5 buffet today for all YourClub members, and will host a groundbreaking celebration on Tuesday, September 6.