The Gambler on the Road series is live! This time around, Lucia’s on a trip to New York, looking to find out where people play casino games and learn more about the industry in general.
They say New York never sleeps. Neither do its gamblers.
One Friday night, I found myself in the heart of Queens, watching a man celebrate a “big win” at a corner deli’s scratch-off machine. A few hours later, I was chatting with a woman in a Manhattan cafe who couldn’t stop talking about her late-night online poker sessions.
By the time I made it to Yonkers, where Empire City Casino was buzzing with players, one thing was clear: New Yorkers will gamble anywhere they can – online, offline, or anywhere in between.
But as much as New York loves a bet, the gambling laws here are anything but straightforward. What’s legal? What’s not? And where are New Yorkers really chasing their wins?
So, I went looking for answers. I hit the casino floors, tried online platforms, and talked to locals who knew their way around a poker hand (and a loophole or two).
Here’s what I found.
Online casinos popular among New Yorkers
- Raging Bull Slots – A go-to online casino for many New York gamblers
- Slots of Vegas – Known for its impressive selection of casino bonuses
- Slots.lv – Most people signed up here to play for must-drop jackpots
- Bitstarz – Even more popular than Raging Bull, especially for its crypto compatibility
- Wild Casino – Those who love live dealer games, come here
P.S. I’ve got full reviews of these casino sites waiting for you below if you’re curious about learning more details. But before we get into that, let me share the story of my trip.
I had a long list of online casinos to explore, but as usual, time wasn’t on my side. Between work and life in New York, I could only carve out a few hours to test all these platforms. Plus, I wasn’t exactly rolling in cash. So, I set aside $500 and decided to make the most of it.
Surprisingly, I ended up with a little more than I started with (thanks to some luck on slot machines). But rather than brag about my winnings, I’ll cut to the chase. Here’s what I loved, what I didn’t, and which casinos performed the best during my whirlwind tour of the New York online gambling scene.
What I do
My travel series “Gambler on the Road” pretty much sums up what I do – I travel across the US to get a taste of the gambling culture in each state. My goal is to visit at least one land-based casino or sportsbook in each state and test the online gambling market before my trip is done.
My budget for this adventure isn’t crazy, so I always try not to get carried away and get paid out when I get lucky (even if it’s just winning 50 bucks). I don’t visit the most luxurious casino hotels but instead stick to the ones in the middle, which is where I approach locals and ask how they feel about online gambling and where they play. Once I’ve tried a few slot machines or placed some sports bets in person, I start signing up with the online casinos or sportsbooks that the locals recommended to me. In my blog posts, I share my experiences and note what most of the people I talked to liked about these sites (including myself).
“My ultimate goal is to find out just how big gambling has become in the US and to learn more about the rising interest in online gambling and which sites are the biggest players, hoping to help some of my readers learn from hands-on testing and research.”
More about my Empire City Casino visit
Walking into Empire City Casino, I immediately felt the contrast between the noise of the slot machines and the quiet corners where people were enjoying the tables. It’s a place where you can easily lose track of time, and I was about to find out just how much fun I could have in a few hours.
I arrived around noon, just as people were starting to settle in for lunch. I went with something simple at the pub, which offers great comfort food and cold drinks right in the heart of the action. Then, I went straight to slots, trying a few different machines, each with a different style. After warming up, I ventured over to the blackjack tables, where I spent a good while enjoying the relaxed pace and engaging with some of the regulars. I also gave roulette a shot, and though I didn’t walk away a winner, the game’s atmosphere was lively and kept me hooked for a while.
What really impressed me the most at Empire City was the variety. They have a selection of over 4,600 slot machines, video poker, and keno, with all kinds of stakes for every level. There’s also a poker room for those who like a more competitive edge. Before I left, I made a point to chat with a couple of locals who’ve been coming here for years. One of them mentioned they like to take advantage of Empire City’s promotions, including weekly drawings and special holiday giveaways.
“If you’re heading to Empire City, try to get there early, especially if you’re after a good spot near the action. And don’t skip the restaurants – they’re amazing.”
Likely the most popular online casino in New York: Raging Bull Slots
Raging Bull Slots was the casino that almost everyone I spoke to mentioned. It was also highly recommended in online review guides, so I decided to give it a try. Although I wasn’t initially a fan of its design, it reminded me of the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I have nothing to hide about my love for slots, and you don’t even have to be a genius to know that this site is all about them (hint: look at the name). The games are powered by RTG, which is known for above-average RTPs. The first game I tried was Dragon Feast, and when I checked its RTP, I saw it was set at 96.5%, which is pretty impressive.
The table games here are solid, though it’s not the biggest selection I’ve come across. And while I’m not crazy about live dealer games, their absence might be a big drawback for some, since they’re super popular among New Yorkers. But, enough about that… This New York casino does have a solid selection of payment methods, including fast and convenient cryptos, which I always love to test. When I requested my first withdrawal, my winnings were processed in just an hour.
“If you’re into slots and fast payouts, Raging Bull Slots is definitely worth a spin. Just don’t let the design fool you – it’s the gameplay that truly counts.”
Most New Yorkers love the bonuses here: Slots of Vegas
Here we have another casino with “slots” in its name. Well, it’s not my fault, really. Everyone’s crazy about these games, and even online casino owners can’t ignore this trend. But in this case, we’re not here to talk about slots. There’s something more interesting I found at Slots of Vegas – over 30 active promotions that players can claim regularly. With my long experience with online casinos, I can tell you that coming across a no-deposit bonus is a mission impossible, but this casino has them. Not just one, but three of them. I used the code BIGCATVEGAS and got 65 spins for free.
There’s also a fancy VIP program that grants players up to 35% monthly cashback, a birthday bonus, an appreciation chip, and much more. Though I haven’t tested it myself yet, it looks pretty solid. As for the game selection, there’s nothing extraordinary about it. You’ll find all the standard games available elsewhere, but it was enough for me to keep playing for a few hours. Once again, I’m not a huge fan of the design, but who knows, you might love it.
“Slots of Vegas offers solid promotions and a decent VIP program, but don’t expect any unique games or cutting-edge design. If you’re okay with the basics, though, it’s worth a try.”
Locals’ go-to for must-drop jackpots: Slots.lv
Most of the locals I chatted with mentioned their love for must-drop jackpots at Slots.lv, and I get why. Who wouldn’t love the idea of winning up to thousands of dollars with just a single $5 spin? Of course, we all know that it’s too good to be true, but things like that happen sometimes (will it ever happen to me, though?). This casino hosts games called Hot Drop Jackpots with hourly and daily prizes that are guaranteed to drop before the countdown hits zero. The interesting part is that you can time your play to maximize your chances of winning. Again, I know that it sounds too easy, but with enough dedication, you might just get lucky.
Another feature I liked at Slots.lv was the presence of a forum page. It was a perfect way for me to gather feedback and chat with fellow players who shared some of their experiences with me. For example, one user mentioned that a $75 fee is always applied to withdrawals by Check by Courier, and a $50 fee for credit card payouts (though your first withdrawal each month is free). Thankfully, I found alternatives like Bitcoin and several other digital coins that are completely free.
“Slots.lv is a really decent New York online casino, offering exciting must-drop jackpots and a $3,000 crypto bonus for newcomers. But make sure to choose your payment method carefully, as some of them come with transaction fees.”
Cool online casino for fast crypto payouts: Bitstarz
As I’ve already mentioned, I love using cryptocurrencies for my casino transactions because they are fast and comfortable. New Yorkers recommended Bitstarz, which currently advertises that it accepts over 500 digital coins. To make sure it really did, I created an account and scrolled through the options. I was able to use Bitcoin and all other less-hyped cryptos, such as Dogecoin. Even if you don’t own any of these yet, you can use the exchange feature to convert your money to whichever coin you want.
As someone who loves things that are easy and comfortable, I instantly clicked with Bitstarz. But… Like everything else, this site isn’t perfect. When exploring the library, I discovered that live dealer games are restricted in New York, so if it’s something you’re specifically interested in, you might want to reconsider your decision.
Compared to other options on my list, Bitstarz lets you compete with other players in the Slot Wars tournament, in which I participated and won a $50 prize. If you want something more substantial, you can grab up to 1 BTC first deposit bonus along with 180 free spins.
“Cryptocurrency lovers will enjoy Bitstarz which offers fast payouts with an average time of just 7 minutes and unique provably fair games that let you check the fairness manually. But if you’re after live dealers, you might need to look elsewhere.”
Most popular casino for live dealer games: Wild Casino
I bet some of you have been waiting for this one – a site with decent live dealer games. Wild Casino was recommended by someone at Empire City, and since I had other things to do at the time, I decided to test it on the way back to my hotel room with my smartphone. I signed up in just a couple of minutes and was ready to try one of the 74 different titles. Since my budget was already a bit low at the moment, I decided to stick to games with low entry limits. I ended up playing Live Roulette, which allowed me to wager as little as $1, but the upper limit was set at $10,000, so it’s good for high rollers as well.
By the time I finished playing live dealers, I was already in my hotel room (I stayed at the Marriott Marquis by the way, I recommend it to anyone staying in New York). So, I switched to my laptop and explored some of the roulette tournaments with a prize pool of $1,500. I participated, but I don’t want to comment on the consequences. Still, I had some winnings to cash out, but… I noticed that even coins like Ethereum and USD Coin had a minimum cashout of $200, which was a bit of a letdown for me.
“Wild Casino offers a solid live dealer experience with plenty of game variety, but the minimum cashout limit for some crypto withdrawals might make you think twice if you’re not planning to cash out big.”
The casino gambling status in New York
Before I left New York, I wanted to do more research on the current status of online casino gambling. As it stands, legal online casinos are still off-limits for New Yorkers.
With the state’s impressive strides in sports betting legalization, though, there’s a real chance that the landscape could change soon. Sports betting has exploded in popularity since it was legalized, so it makes sense that online casinos might follow suit. For now, New Yorkers have to turn to casinos licensed in other jurisdictions or travel to a state where casino gambling is legal.
With that in mind, let’s explore some of the other interesting statistics I found.
Gross Gaming Revenue
I’ve checked some findings from the American Gaming Association and according to it, New York is already a heavy hitter in the casino gambling world, ranking as the 4th largest state by gross gaming revenue, with an astonishing $4.7 billion in GGR for 2023. Despite being just behind New Jersey, this is still a major achievement, but let’s face it – Nevada (Las Vegas) will always hold the top spot. No surprise here.
Past Year’s Gambling Activity
Then, I had a look at the past year’s gambling activity. I can’t say I wasn’t surprised by these findings – as many as 84% of all adults in New York have gambled in the past year… whether playing slots at a casino or buying a lottery ticket.
Then, most of the players have gambled in a land-based casino, while online gambling and traditional sports betting have a nearly identical participation rate. As it seems, online gambling is yet to overtake traditional casino establishments in NY.
Most Popular Games
No big surprises on this chart, with 78% of all gamblers in New York having bought at least one lottery ticket in the past year. I’m certain that the results on the same topic will be the same across all states as I continue my research. Coming in at second place are slot games, with nearly half of the gamblers in NY spinning the reels either in land-based or online casinos. Slots are followed by table games such as blackjack, while bingo also has a good participation rate of 29%.
Preferred Device for Gambling in New York
This chart just goes to show how far mobile gambling apps have come – with an insane 97% of gamblers using mobile devices to place bets or play casino games. The lowest percentage belongs to desktop computers, while tablets and laptops still have a decent percentage of users. Note that the percentages don’t add up to 100% because many players use multiple devices to play casino games. Heck, I myself do my research on multiple devices.
If these stats piqued your interest, then check out this article where I found a lot of interesting information about sports betting in Texas.
Land-based casinos in New York
New York is home to over 30 land-based casinos, including Native American (Tribal) casinos, commercial casinos, and racinos. Tribal casinos, as the name suggests, are located on tribal lands and are authorized by the National Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. As of right now, there are 16 federally approved tribal casinos in New York.
Commercial casinos, on the other hand, are privately owned businesses located in states where gambling is legal. These casino operators pay taxes on the revenue they generate. Racinos can be either commercial or tribe gambling establishments, and they essentially combine a racetrack and a casino into one venue. At present, 8 racinos are operating in New York.
Below, you can take a look at some of the most popular ones.
| Casino | City | Address |
| Akwesasne Mohawk Casino | Hogansburg | 873 New York State Route 37, Hogansburg, New York, United States |
| Lakeside Entertainment | Union Springs | 271 Cayuga St, Union Springs, NY 13160, United States |
| Del Lago Resort and Casino | Tyre | 1133 NY-414, Waterloo, NY 13165, USA |
| Jake’s 58 Hotel & Casino | Islandia | 3635 Express Dr N, Islandia, NY 11749, USA |
| Resorts World Catskills | Kiamesha Lake | 888 Resorts World Dr, Monticello, NY 12701, USA |
| Batavia Downs Casino | Batavia | 8315 Park Rd, Batavia, NY 14020, United States |
| Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway | Yonkers | 810 Yonkers Ave, Yonkers, NY 10704, USA |
The end of my trip to New York to find good online casinos
I can’t complain about my trip to New York since it was as productive as it could be. I discovered many good online and land-based casinos and met some wonderful people along the way. The Marriott Marquis hotel was fantastic, and I would definitely stay there again on my next visit. As you can tell from all the stats and numbers I’ve shared in this guide, New Yorkers are as interested in gambling as they are in any other state.
Even though legal online casinos are still not an option, players are free to use social and offshore casino sites to play real money games. This, however, might change in 2025, as lawmakers have more reason than ever to pass the bill in favor of online casino operators.
Which state should I visit next? Send me an email at [email protected]!
DISCLAIMER: 21+. Gamble responsibly. Facing a gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Free gambling addiction resources available at gamblersanonymous.org and gamblingtherapy.com.
