Genting Group has secured a highly sought-after casino license in New York City, enabling the Malaysian conglomerate to turn its Queens facility, currently restricted to slot machines, into a Las Vegas-style casino resort.
It received gambling permits from the state of New York on 1 December, with issuance expected by 31 December.
In July of this year, Genting’s Resorts World New York City announced a $5.5 billion plan to become New York's largest integrated resort. The project, due to open in July 2026, would transform the 73-acre Aqueduct site into a 5.6-million-square-foot resort and entertainment hub.
This would include 6,000 slot machines, 800 gaming tables, 2,000 hotel rooms, a 7,000-seat arena, over 30 F&B outlets, a spa, and more than 12 acres of public green space.
"A game-changer" for NYC
The group is intensifying its international expansion efforts amid a rise in religious conservatism in its predominantly Muslim home market, which endangers its local casino operations, while increasing gaming competition expands throughout Asia.
A major casino in New York City is expected to generate billions of dollars in new revenue for Genting.
Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, has previously said the project "will be a game-changer for this borough, the city, and the state."
He added: "Since Resorts World was granted operations of the Aqueduct site in 2010, we have sought to be a neighbor that Queens deserves, providing 1,000 good union jobs, invested millions of dollars into our neighbors, and built everlasting bonds with the community."
Resorts World New York City is operated by the Genting Group, which additionally manages destination resorts in the Catskills, Hudson Valley, Las Vegas, Bimini, Malaysia, Singapore, and the UK.
Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore is currently undertaking a $5 billion expansion, including the addition of two new luxury hotels, enhancements to Universal Studios Singapore, and the introduction of the new Singapore Oceanarium.
Charlotte Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.
