Gural wants to bring FanDuel Sportsbook to Tioga Downs

NICHOLS, N.Y. — Jeff Gural, owner of Tioga Downs Casino Resort in Nichols, hopes to bring a FanDuel Sportsbook for sports betting to the venue in Tioga County, as soon as New York regulators allow sports wagering in the state.

The New York City–based FanDuel Group has announced the grand opening of a Sportsbook location at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey, which Gural also owns, Tioga Downs said in a news release issued Monday. It opened to the public last Saturday following New Jersey’s legalization of sports wagering.

“Partnering with FanDuel Group and our proximity to New York City puts us in prime position to capitalize on the seemingly endless opportunities around sports betting,” Gural said.

Gural “looks forward to bringing this opportunity to Tioga Downs as soon as New York passes and writes legislation to allow for sports betting on property,” the release said.

Gural is chairman & CEO of Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment and serves in the same role for American Racing & Entertainment, which operates Tioga Downs.

The FanDuel Sportsbook will feature bets on all major U.S. sports, including professional baseball, soccer, football, basketball, golf, boxing, and motorsports racing, according to the release.

The Tioga Downs announcement was issued a few hours after del Lago Resort & Casino in Tyre had reached an agreement with Boston, Massachusetts–based DraftKings to provide a sportsbook at the casino once New York legalizes sports betting.

About FanDuel

FanDuel Group focuses on fantasy sports, online gaming, and television content. The group includes FanDuel, Betfair US, DRAFT, and TVG. FanDuel Group has a presence across 45 states and 8 million customers. Besides its New York City headquarters, the company has offices in California, New Jersey, Florida, Oregon, and Scotland.

FanDuel Group is a subsidiary of Paddy Power Betfair plc, an international sports betting and gaming operator.

FanDuel made headlines in New York when former State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in November 2015 ordered both FanDuel and DraftKings to stop accepting online, daily fantasy sport bets inside New York.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo in August 2016 signed a bill that requires fantasy-sports companies to register with and operate under the regulations of the New York State Gaming Commission.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com