Oneidas to reopen sports betting at three Central New York casinos

The Oneida Indian Nation, which reopened gaming, some restaurants and other activities at its three casinos in Central New York on June 10, will reopen the sports books in those locations on July 22.

The three sports books, each called The Lounge with Caesars Sports, will reopen at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, Yellow Brick Road Casino in Chittenango and Point Place Casino in Bridgeport. The Oneidas run the sport betting operations in partnership with Las Vegas-based Caesars Sports.

The Oneidas noted the upcoming start of a limited Major League Baseball season and the restart of the NBA season this summer as the reason for reopening the sports betting locations.

Each sports book, or lounge, offers betting at staffed windows or at kiosks, along with big-screen TVs to follow the action. There is also food and drinks service in each lounge.

The three sports books opened last year following the legalization of sports betting in New York state. Bets can only be placed by people physically within the lounge — there is no online or mobile betting allowed in New York. Bets are also prohibited on college sports teams in New York, such as Syracuse University.

The sports books will follow health and safety protocols, such as limiting patrons to 50% capacity. The casinos spell out the rules in a plan dubbed the Safer Together Reopening Health & Safety Plan.

While the Oneidas and other Indian nations have reopened their casinos, Upstate New York’s non-Indian, or commercial, casinos remain closed. The Indian nations are not strictly bound by the opening and closing executive orders issued by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, although their health and safety protocols closely mirror the state’s guidelines.

Earlier this week, the four commercial casinos in Upstate New York warned that they may be forced to lay off thousands of employees who are currently furloughed unless they are allowed to reopen by the end of September.