The Queens casino welcomed New York lawmakers’ approval of direct payments to horse racing, highlighting the state’s evolving approach to gaming-tax distribution.
Resorts World New York City said on June 5, 2026, that it welcomed the New York Legislature’s passage of changes allowing the state gaming commission to distribute funds directly to the horse-racing industry. The statement, attributed to spokesman Stefan Friedman, linked the decision to the casino’s position during the bidding process for expanded gaming operations. It also restated the company’s view that its proposed tax structure would support several public beneficiaries alongside racing.
According to the statement, Resorts World New York City consistently said during its submissions, financial modelling and testimony that a 56 per cent tax rate on slots would fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the State Education Fund and the horse-racing industry. The release also referred to a separate 30 per cent tax rate on table games, which it said would provide additional funding for the MTA and education. The comments place the legislative change within the broader framework of how casino-related revenue is allocated in New York.
Friedman’s statement said Resorts World was already delivering on its promise that, at those tax rates, each named entity would receive more funding from the casino than from any other private enterprise in New York’s history. That is a company assertion contained in the release, rather than an independently presented comparison. The announcement did not provide a financial breakdown or identify the legislative provisions beyond the change concerning direct distribution to racing.
The release presents the vote as resolving an issue that Resorts World had addressed throughout the bidding process. Direct distribution gives the state gaming commission a specified role in channelling funds to horse racing, while the casino’s statement ties that arrangement to its proposed contribution to public transport and education. The announcement therefore centres less on a new consumer offering than on the public-finance mechanics surrounding casino expansion and taxation.
Resorts World New York City said it looked forward to working in partnership with New York State following the legislative action. Friedman also described the casino as continuing its standing as New York’s largest taxpayer, another claim made by the company without supporting figures in the release. The statement leaves the practical financial effect of the change to the state’s implementation of the direct-payment system.
