New York Gov. fuels anger after nixing casino licensing deadline bill

Article by : Charles Perrin Nov 27, 2024

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New York’s governor Kathy Hochul has nixed a bill that would have expedited the timeline for the awarding of downstate casino licenses, prompting angry responses.

Hochul vetoed bill S9673A a week after receiving it which has ruffled the feathers of industry stakeholders.

Currently, there are 11 proposed projects in and around New York City that are jostling for one of the 3 coveted licenses up for grabs.

The original deadline for applications to be submitted was set for 31 August 2024. Now, that has now been pushed back to 27 June 2025, a move instigated by the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC).

Under S9673A, provisions were put in place to examine casino bids thoroughly, but Hochul has cited fairness issues over speeding up the process. Her decision, she claims, seeks to make things easier for bidders.

In a veto memo, Hochul wrote: “Changing the timeline… would likely have the impact of helping certain bidders and hurting others.

“I can’t support a bill that aims to change the rules in the middle of the process.”

Hochul was keen to defend the current timeline, hailing applicants for being as compliant as possible.

However, the news dealt a huge blow to bill sponsor State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. In his response, he didn’t hold back in criticizing the veto by Hochul.

He said: “Codifying a timeframe for an already unduly prolonged downstate casino process would merely improve the process by allowing it to actually begin accepting applications.

“The veto of S9673A would further delay the creation of thousands of union jobs, postpone guaranteed funding for the MTA projected to be over $2 billion, as well as ongoing tax revenue for the MTA.

“Therefore, what rational reason is there for the state to hinder the submission of applications for a downstate casino process indefinitely?”

Having a sped-up licensing process would have provided economic benefits for the local community, but for now, state regulators will have to continue at their current pace.

With things pushed back, the successful applicants may not necessarily be able to operate in downstate New York until 2026 at the earliest, so they will just have to play the waiting game.