In the US, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed Upstate New York Gaming Economic Development Act, which spells out where and how the state will site casinos if a referendum to legalise gambling is approved by voters in November.
The bill, which was approved by the Legislature in the final days of its session in June, calls for up to four casinos to be placed in three upstate regions that do not currently have Indian-run gaming centres: the Hudson Valley-Catskill area, the Capital District-Saratoga area and the Central-Southern Tier.
The bill excludes New York City, Westchester, Rockland and Long Island from consideration and puts a halt on any further casinos for at least the next seven years.
A siting board appointed by the state’s Gaming Commission will have the final say in choosing the locations and the operators of the casinos. If the gambling referendum fails, the law authorises the state to open additional video lottery parlours upstate and on Long Island.
“Our focus has been to bring jobs and boost local economies in upstate New York, where decades of decline have taken their toll in our communities," Cuomo said in a press release announcing the signing.
"This new law will bring the state one step closer to establishing world-class destination gaming resorts that will attract tourists to upstate New York and support thousands of good paying jobs as well as new revenue for local businesses,” Cuomo continued.
“For too many years, gaming revenue has left New York for our neighbouring states. Today, we are putting New York state in a position to have those dollars spent here in our communities, which will benefit our local economies and tourism industries, as well as support education and property tax relief."
