Digital Wager Wire highlights the most significant events affecting the domestic and international sports betting and gaming industries each week throughout the year.
Four Bidders, Three New York Downstate Casino Licenses
When New York announced it would be awarding up to three downstate casino licenses, there was no shortage of interested parties seeking to secure a permit that would allow them to operate in one of the five boroughs. It was viewed as an enormous expense, but one that came with handsome rewards.
Initially, a dozen bidders expressed interest, but that number has been whittled down to four after many of the bidders’ grand plans evaporated due to poor logistics or lack of community support. Recently, Jay-Z’s dreams of a Times Square casino came to an abrupt halt, as did Manhattan’s Freedom Plaza, led by the Soloviev Group and Mohegan Sun, due to negative votes from the all-powerful Community Advisory Committees.
Likewise, the Coney Island Community Advisory Committee also voted 4-2 against The Coney, a project that would have created a 1.4 million square foot facility adjacent to the Riegelmann Boardwalk, developed through a partnership between Thor Equities, the Chickasaw Nation, and Saratoga Casino.
Despite having the support of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the local community voted against the project, and it was met with disappointment by Ray Pineault, CEO of Mohegan, who stated that the voting members “did not allow for a recognition of the impact we could have had on the broader community of New York and the many individuals who would have benefited from new jobs, housing, and community benefits.”
Only four projects remain and are competing for a possible three licenses, including Bally’s Bronx, MGM Empire City (Westchester), Hard Rock Metropolitan Park (Queens), and Resorts World New York City (Queens). The state gaming regulators have stated they can award three licenses but do not have to approve any.
No Doubt Reunites at the Las Vegas Sphere
Pop-rock ’90s group No Doubt, led by frontwoman Gwen Stefani, will grace the stage of the Sphere in Las Vegas for six shows in May. It will be the first time in the Sphere’s brief history that a woman has headlined a show at Sin City’s iconic venue.
Tickets go on sale on October 17th, and the six scheduled dates are May 6th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 15th, and 16th of 2026.
“The opportunity to create a show at Sphere excites me in a new way,” Stefani said in a statement. “The venue is unique and modern, and it opens up a whole new visual palette for us to be creative. Doing it with No Doubt feels like going back in time to relive our history, while also creating something new in a way we never could have imagined.”
Added bassist Tony Kanal, “I can’t wait to get on stage again with my bandmates. There is a beautiful energy that happens when we play together, an electricity I have felt through all of our years. To be able to leave it all on the table each night and take our fans on the insane journey that is Sphere is beyond our wildest dreams. See you in May!”
