NY Casinos Enjoy Strong August Following Record-Setting July

Written By Mike Mazzeo on September 20, 2021 - Last Updated on November 23, 2021
New York's four commercial casinos have some overdue bills to pay, says the state's Comptroller's Office.

After a record-setting July, New York’s upstate commercial casinos didn’t do too bad in August either.

All four properties had their second-highest revenue month since reopening after being shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A look at their respective overall gross gaming revenue (GGR):

  • Resorts World Catskills: $21,318,868
  • Rivers Casino and Resort: $15,938,110
  • del Lago Resort and Casino: $14,815,594
  • Tioga Downs Casino: $8,051,111

In July, Del Lago Resort and Casino ($16,078,168), Rivers Casino and Resort ($16,058,208) and Tioga Downs Casino ($8,801,781) all established new monthly records. Resorts World Catskills ($22,059,507) had its best month since August 2019.

The state secured $16,881,957 in gaming taxes in August after receiving $18,011,912 in July.

NY’s upstate commercial casinos continue to rebound nicely.

Sports Betting Still Down, NFL Season Could Change That

With the NFL season not beginning until mid-September, NY sports betting revenue slipped to 2021 lows at three of the four casinos.

A look at their respective GGRs from sports betting (* denotes low):

  • del Lago Resort and Casino: $260,764*
  • Rivers Casino and Resort: $464,164*
  • Resorts World Catskills: $303,904
  • Tioga Downs Casino: $51,739*

Rivers Casino and Resort has had the biggest sports betting numbers in 2021, with $27,434,254 in total handle and $3,061,751 in GGR. Del Lago is second at $18,175,956 in total handle and $2,375,719 in GGR. Resorts World Catskills ($11,060,316 total handle, $1,219,250 GGR) and Tioga Downs ($3,743,901 total handle, $468,849 GGR) round out the group.

A recent study by the American Gaming Association found that over 45 million Americans plan to wager on the NFL this season, up 36% from 2020.

New York can’t completely capitalize with online sports betting not up and running yet. But its upstate commercial casinos certainly can.

And that should bode well in terms of those numbers rising again in September.

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Written by
Mike Mazzeo

Mike Mazzeo is a contributing writer for PlayNY, reporting on legal sports betting in New York while covering the potential legalization of NY online casinos and poker. He previously wrote for ESPN, the New York Daily News and The Ringer, among others.

View all posts by Mike Mazzeo
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