I was thankful to learn of Governor Cuomo’s decision today to allow casinos across New York State to reopen again on September 9th,” State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, said. “This will result in many of the furloughed casino workers returning to their jobs and providing for their families, while permitting our residents to visit these gaming sites to safely enjoy the amenities during these difficult times. The reopening of casinos will also be an economic generator for revenue and educational funding for our state, as we deal with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. While this is a productive first step, I am hopeful that further guidelines and metrics can be put in place, where we can reexamine the status of the casino operations and COVID rates, possibly every two weeks, which would provide information and guidance towards the decisions on allowing additional aspects of the casinos to reopen. I look forward to seeing how we progress from here.