Resorts World Project Rolls Forward with $5bn Expansion Amid Rising Public Concern Over Gambling

Resorts World New York City is moving forward with a $5.5 billion expansion that will make it the largest integrated gambling resort in the US. The move comes despite rising concerns over casinos and sports betting in the Empire State.

Resorts World New York City Expansion Continues

Resorts World New York City has already had a big 2026, and it has more expansion plans in the works. In April, the casino added table games, becoming the first casino in New York City to offer a Las Vegas-style resort.

The casino expanded again last week, opening 1,400 new slot machines to bring its total to nearly 4,000 one-armed bandits. In addition to adding new games, the casino also created hundreds of new jobs in NYC.

Resort World NYC $5 Billion Expansion

Resorts World NYS isn’t done expanding, either. The casino recently announced another planned expansion costing $5.5 billion. It also proposed a $2 billion investment in NYC through a community benefits package.

Billionaire Lim Kok Thay’s Genting Building New Hotel, Arena In $5.5 Billion New York Casino Push https://t.co/o2BM7sVQSh (Photo: Resorts World New York City) pic.twitter.com/hVQJuZbBRY

— Forbes (@Forbes) July 23, 2026

The next expansion will grow the casino resort in multiple areas, including adding:

• A 400-room hotel tower
• New central plaza
• 7,000-person arena
• New parking garage

It also expedites the construction of the Kenny “the Jet” Sports and Media Complex. The new expansion would finish the complex three years ahead of schedule.

More Than ⅓ Of New Yorkers Disapprove of Sports Betting

Not everyone in the Empire State is on board with New York’s recent gambling explosion. According to a recent Siena Research Institute poll, 39% of those polled said that online sports betting is bad for New York.

For comparison, only 23% of respondents approved of sports gambling, and 31% were in the middle.

The poll also identified specific issues some New Yorkers have with sports betting, such as:

• 43% opposed sportsbooks advertising during sporting events
• 52% were against commentators talking about odds and bets during live games
• 49% of bettors said sports betting is good for New York

These opinions come despite a banner year so far for bettors in NYC, which included multiple World Cup games and the Knicks ending their 50+ championship drought.

The good news for Resorts World and its plans for future expansion is that these negative feelings are toward sports betting. Resorts World’s plans mostly focus on expanding the site’s casino and resort options.