Rivers Casino starts building its sportsbook lounge in New York

The Rivers Sportsbook's club chairs and table seating will accommodate approximately 80 guests and includes 5 private booths with TV monitors.

2019-05-16

United States

Reading time 2:18 min

The new area within the casino in Schenectady is expected to open before the NFL season starts in September. The 5000-square-foot space will feature a 53-foot long high LED video wall, 22 televisions, 16 betting kiosks and 6 staffed betting windows. The company backs the mobile betting possibility, driven by a bill passed Monday in the state Senate’s Racing and Wagering Committee.

As of Monday morning construction is officially underway on Rivers Casino’s new sportsbook in Schenectady, state of New York. It is expected to be completed this summer on the area within the casino, called the "Rivers Sportsbook." The lounge will open before this fall's NFL season in September, pending New York State Gaming Commission approval.

“This a milestone for Rivers Casino because we will be able to do legalized sports betting in the state,” Rivers Casino Vice President of Gaming Operations Jeff Cutri said Tuesday morning. “We are extremely excited about that and this is the very first step in that process.” Bets are expected to include, but not be limited to, straight bets, parlays, totals, and in-game betting.

Once crews finish converting the Van Slyck’s bar area, the 5000-square-foot space will feature a 53-foot long by 9 feet high LED video wall that will anchor the sportsbook viewing area, 22 televisions measuring 86”, 16 betting kiosks and 6 staffed betting windows. Club chairs and table seating will accommodate approximately 80 guests and includes 5 private booths with TV monitors – each accommodating up to 6 people, 18 individual VIP seats, and 32 tabletop seats.

DMAC Architecture of Illinois designed the space (see render gallery), and Duncan & Cahill of Troy is doing the construction.

“We couldn’t be happier to start construction on our new sportsbook and we’re looking forward to opening one of the first licensed sportsbooks in the state of New York at Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady,” said Rivers Casino & Resort acting General Manager, Justin Moore. “We think sports fans and sports bettors throughout the Capital Region and beyond will be thrilled with the new sportsbook and are looking forward to welcoming them into the casino to place legal wagers for the first time.”

Rivers may also be able to profit from guests not in the casino. On Monday, the state Senate’s Racing and Wagering Committee advanced a bill that would expand the current plan by allowing the four upstate casinos to accept bets online and by phone.

“When people come into the building to bet, we are pretty much restricted to the region, how far someone is willing to drive,” Cutri said, as reported by Spectrum News. “If we have mobile betting, anywhere in the state of New York, if you are a member of our sportsbook, you can gamble anywhere you want on your personal device.”

The state's gaming commission approved preliminary rules for sports gambling in January, which are in a 60-day public comment period, before another review by commissioners. In the meantime, Senate Racing and Wagering Committee chairman Joe Addabbo is hopeful the Governor will work with lawmakers to allow the OTBs, racinos and NYRA thoroughbred tracks to also accept sports wagers in person and online.