The company revealed that growing competition from online betting has made the project financially unfeasible
Las Vegas Sands has pulled out of its plan to build a big casino resort at the Nassau Coliseum location on Long Island. The company shared this news on April 23, 2025. They made this choice after voicing concerns about how online betting could hurt the profitability of physical casinos.
Rising Online Betting Forces Las Vegas Sands to Drop Uniondale Casino Project
Las Vegas Sands planned a $6 billion project for the Nassau County location in Uniondale. This project aimed to include a casino, entertainment venues, and other facilities. However, the company announced it does not see this plan as financially viable anymore, due to rising competition from online betting sites, reported The New York Times. New York‘s growing interest in online gambling has made Las Vegas Sands think twice about putting money into a regular physical casino in the area.
The company was once a top contender to get one of the three casino licenses available in the New York City area. Las Vegas Sands, a big name in the global gaming world, runs resorts in Asia, including Macau and Singapore. However, it is facing more hurdles as online betting gains popularity in the United States. New York has already become a key market for sports betting, which people do online. Similar trends have popped up in states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In these places, brick-and-mortar casinos have seen their earnings drop because of competition from online gaming.
Even though Las Vegas Sands pulled out of the project, they still want to develop the Nassau Coliseum site, just without the casino part. The company plans to find another partner to take on the casino bid, a company that can handle both physical and online gambling markets.
Community Divided as Nassau Officials Push Development Without Sands
People have responded to the decision in different ways. Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive, still wants to develop the Nassau Coliseum site, whether it includes a casino or not. Blakeman pointed out that other gaming companies are very interested, and the county is talking with them to look at other ways to develop the site. He told the public that the project would create a lot of jobs and boost the economy, no matter what they end up doing.
People in the area have spoken out against the casino plan. Residents and places like Hofstra University worry about the bad effects a casino might have. They are concerned about more cars on the roads, louder noise, and how close it would be to the university. Groups in the community do not want the casino in their suburban area. They think it will cause more problems than it is worth.
Las Vegas Sands has quit the race, but other developers still want a piece of the New York City gambling market. Some are pitching ideas for casinos at spots like Citi Field in Queens, Hudson Yards in Manhattan, and Coney Island in Brooklyn. The New York State Gaming Facility Location Board plans to decide on who gets casino licenses before the year ends.
Now that Las Vegas Sands has stepped back, the Nassau Coliseum site’s future remains up in the air. However, it is clear that people still want to see new buildings go up in the area, whether it is a casino or something else.
