Zohran Mamdani, NYC mayoral favorite, says he won’t oppose casino development

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, said Wednesday that he does not intend to use his position to block casino developments in the city, despite his long-standing opposition to large-scale gambling.

The Queens assemblyman, who previously dismissed gambling as “haram” and expressed skepticism about casinos backed by major corporations, told reporters he would respect the mandate of state voters who authorized downstate gambling expansion more than a decade ago.

“I’ve been open about my personal skepticism, and yet I also know this is the law,” Mamdani said. “The siting and the choices of which casinos will open, that pertains to the state.”

The announcement came during a rally with the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, a union that endorsed Mamdani after his primary win and strongly supports the casino push.

Speaking alongside the union’s leadership, Mamdani said his priority was backing workers, stressing that unionized casinos would bring stable jobs. “I’m excited to stand here alongside the union as it continues to fight for the ability of the workers to survive off the wages they are paid,” he added.

Union president Rich Maroko said in a statement that the group has “spoken extensively with every elected official and office seeker and are confident that we will have a strong and deep base of support to bring these job-creating projects to completion.”

The state process for awarding up to three downstate casino licenses is expected to conclude before the new mayor takes office in January. Applicants have put forward eight multibillion-dollar proposals across the city, including in Times Square, Coney Island, near the United Nations, and at Citi Field in Queens. Developers must first secure approval from a six-member community advisory committee, followed by a final state decision later this year.

Mayor Eric Adams

Mamdani’s stance aligns him more closely with his general election rivals. Mayor Eric Adams, running for a second term as an independent, has been one of the most vocal advocates for casino expansion.

He recently revived Bally’s $4 billion Bronx project by overriding a City Council rejection of a zoning change, citing local support and the need for a fair process among bidders. Former governor Andrew M. Cuomo, also seeking office as an independent, was the one who pushed for the constitutional amendment that legalized casinos statewide.

Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa has taken the opposite position, warning that “casinos can bring crime, traffic, higher housing costs, and hurt small businesses,” while insisting that local communities, not politicians or developers, should have the final say.

Opposition groups have expressed disappointment in Mamdani’s decision to step back from the fight. Sarah Ahn of the Flushing Workers Center, which has opposed Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Queens casino proposal, called Mamdani’s position “a disappointment to hear, because many people support Zohran Mamdani because he’s different from Cuomo and Adams.” She urged him to focus instead on low-income housing.

Andrew Sokolof Díaz, a tenant organizer in Jackson Heights, placed greater blame on Cuomo and Adams but added that “in general, we want, the community wants, all of our representatives to take a stronger stance in opposing billionaire casino bids.”

The state is expected to award the licenses by the end of the year, with winning operators required to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in fees.