New York Commercial Casinos Generate in December $55 Million in Revenues

The New York Gaming Commission reported its latest gaming figures for its 2025 fiscal year. December appeared to be disappointing for the state, with various drops in gaming revenue figures. 

New York’s commercial casinos generated total gross gaming revenue of $55 million in December, a 3.3% month-on-month decrease compared to November figures of $56.8 million. The statewide gaming tax collected for December was slightly over $13 million, another 3% month-on-month decrease. 

Slots generated just over $39.1 million in gaming revenue, 2.7% less than the previous month. This is a $1.1 million drop from the $40.3 million generated in November. Table games generated over $15 million in December, a slight month-on-month increase of 0.5% over the $14.9 million generated in November. December poker revenue was $916,357, a 4% decrease from November. 

New York State's Commercial Casinos

Of the state’s four commercial casinos, Schenectady Rivers Casino and Resort reported the highest turnover for December, generating over $17.7 million in total gross gaming revenue. This was a 2.8% month-on-month increase compared to November 2024 and a 1.4% year-on-year increase compared to December 2023, which reported $17.5 million in revenue. 

Resorts World Catskills reported the highest year-on-year growth. Total gaming revenue reached more than $17 million for the month, increasing by 3.4% from November 2024 and 11.4% compared to the $15.3 million reported the previous year. Del Lago Resort & Casino came in with an 11% year-on-year drop, generating $12.6 and $14.2 million in revenues in December 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Sports Betting Revenues Still Going Strong

While New York’s casino numbers have been disappointing, December has been the second-strongest month in sports betting since the state launched its legal betting market in January 2022. New Yorkers wagered $2.28 billion in December, an 11.1% increase compared to December 2023 and a slight 0.7% increase from November. Still, December figures fell only 1.7% short of the record $2.32 generated in October 2024. 

However, New York is also seeing disappointing figures in the sports betting revenue department. The customer-friendly NFL sports results of favorites winning games didn’t spare New York sportsbooks, yielding a disappointing $150.4 in revenues, a 35% month-on-month drop from November’s revenues of $231.6 million.

New York Still Fighting Illegal Gaming  

Gambling laws in New York haven’t stopped unlicensed operators and criminal activities related to gaming.  The ‘G Spot,’ an illegal cards and dice club in Brownsville, was targeted by three New Jersey men in a heist gone wrong. The men are set to go on trial for killing bouncer Rodney Maxwell during the heist. 

According to court filings, one of the accused, Brian Castro, was filmed on camera admitting to the robbery, saying that his crew had obtained $20,000, as well as describing Maxwell’s death. 

On Dec. 29, 2024, the defense attorney for Charles Powell argued in a letter that Castro’s recorded statements about the murder were only meant to boost his “street credibility.” 

“Had the purpose of the plan — to commit a robbery — not been successful, and Castro, having been fought off by intended victims, gotten nothing but instead had killed someone, this could be viewed as humiliating,” Murray Singer wrote. “It makes sense, then, that Castro would try to puff up the incident.”