New Jersey Lawmakers Push Casino at Meadowlands Racetrack as New York Competition Looms

Two new resolutions hit the floor in New Jersey's legislature. Senate Concurrent Resolutions 31 and 66 would put a question before voters: Should slot machines spin at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford? If passed, this would mark the first time casino gaming broke free from Atlantic City's grip on the state's gambling scene.

Why now? Across the Hudson River, New York just handed out three casino licenses. Bally's grabbed one for Ferry Point. Hard Rock snagged another in Queens, and Resorts World NYC got the green light to expand its existing operation. All three sit within striking distance of New Jersey's northern border.

State Sen. Paul Sarlo laid out his vision. After the 2026 FIFA World Cup wraps up, he wants a convention center paired with a casino at the track. He threw Monmouth Park racetrack into the conversation too. MetLife Stadium, which sits right next to Meadowlands, will host World Cup matches.

Getting slots outside Atlantic City isn't simple. The state constitution needs changing, which means lawmakers must either score a supermajority vote in both chambers or pass the measure with simple majorities across two consecutive sessions. Backers want this on the November 2026 ballot.

The clock's ticking. Legislators would need to approve the amendment by June before voters could make the call. That schedule would give residents a shot at deciding the gambling question before the year ends.

This isn't New Jersey's first rodeo with North Jersey casinos. Voters shot down a similar idea back in 2016. That version was written so vaguely that people thought a casino might pop up anywhere in the region instead of at one specific spot.

Jeff Gural owns the Meadowlands. Per Sportsline.com, he told NorthJersey.com that he won't risk another ballot measure unless victory looks certain. Horse racing has been sliding downhill for years, and Gural sees a casino as the ticket to transform the venue into a year-round entertainment destination.

Not everyone's sold on the plan. Some lawmakers worry about what new casino locations might do to Atlantic City's existing casinos. The industry itself can't agree on other hot topics, like whether to ban smoking inside casinos.

Money talks, and New Jersey officials are nervous. They're watching gaming dollars potentially flow to New York once those three new properties open their doors. Gov. Kathy Hochul gave the go-ahead for downstate casino licenses back in 2022.