About
Originally a racetrack for quarter horses that operated from 1976-79, the track at Tioga Downs sat unused for many years until it was purchased by Jeff Gural in 2000. He eventually brought live racing back to the facility, launched the site’s conversion into a racino and on to its current status as Tioga Downs Casino Resort.
Gural led the charge to legalize video lottery terminals (VLTs) at New York state racetracks. That agenda won approval in 2005. In 2016, an expansion led to full table games being added to the slot machines already present inside the Tioga Downs racino. The Tioga Downs Casino Resort is a 100 percent smoke-free facility.
There is also a retail brick and mortar sportsbook on site that will eventually offer skins to both PointsBet and FanDuel once online and mobile wagering are legal in the Empire State. The resort features a 160-guestroom hotel, a spa, an event center that has featured acts from Vanilla Ice to Sister Sledge, ballrooms that can accommodate weddings, meeting rooms for business functions, 10 separate dining areas and a Hal Purdy-designed, par-71 championship golf course that will test nearly every club in a player’s bag, while providing some of the finest views of the Susquehanna River Valley.
Gural is also the owner of The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., where online sports betting is already legalized. Gural has been an outspoken lobbyist in his efforts to bring online and mobile betting to the Empire State.
Hotel/Spa
There are 160 spacious guest rooms and suite accommodations at Tioga Downs Casino Resort, all overlooking the spectacular rolling hills of the Southern Tier. The hotel provides convenient inside access to the adjoining casino. Complete with live entertainment, culinary delights, and exciting seasonal harness racing action, Tioga Downs Casino Resort is perfect for a spontaneous getaway, a special occasion or that next corporate event.
Hotel guests can be pampered at the resort’s Ageless Spa, or splash around in their outdoor water slide and plunge pool, indoor heated saltwater pool. There’s also an arcade and game area. Dine on everything from BBQ to pizza at one of their 10 restaurants. For people looking to plan a wedding or convention, the Tioga Downs Casino Resort offers over 30,000 square feet of flexible event space.
Casino Area
With over 890 gaming machines in operation, there’s plenty to play at Tioga Downs Casino Resort. They offer some of the most popular slots in the industry, including Clover Link, Green Machine Deluxe, Ultimate Fire Link, and Lock it Link. There’s also video poker on offer. Games range from 1¢ to $5 in denomination.
The 28 table games that are available to be played provide offerings of blackjack, Spanish 21, craps, roulette, mini/midi baccarat, 777 blazing blackjack progressive and big six wheel.
Card players will be welcomed into the Tioga Downs Casino Resort World Series of Poker-sanctioned poker room. Featured games include Pai Gow poker, let it ride poker, three-card poker, four-card poker and Mississippi Stud poker.
Sportsbook Area
Tioga Downs Casino Resort partnered with sports betting and daily fantasy powerhouse FanDuel to launch a retail sportsbook on site in July of 2019. It was the fourth retail operation opened by FanDuel. The sportsbook will also provide a skin to sports betting company PointsBet to operate online once New York finalizes the process of legalizing online and mobile sports betting. PointsBet also partners with the Gural-owned Meadowlands in New Jersey.
FanDuel’s 2,600 square foot sports betting retail location is conveniently located near the main entrance of the Tioga Downs Casino. The FanDuel Sportsbook features eight betting windows, 27 video displays including a large video wall, 14 self-service betting kiosks from IGTPlayDigital, three sports tickers, 12 lounge seats, seven high tables, two drink rails, and seating for more than 50 customers.
FanDuel is managing the location in partnership with Tioga Downs Casino Resort and leverages IGT PlayDigital’s retail sports betting technology.
The FanDuel Sportsbook features bets on all major U.S. sports, including professional baseball, soccer, football, basketball, college football and basketball, golf, boxing, UFC, motorsports racing, rugby league and union, cricket and more.
Available betting lines include moneylines, spreads, totals (over/under), futures, props and parlays. There is also live in-play betting offered on sports events.
Racing
Tioga Downs schedules live harness racing between May and September, with post times typically on Friday and Saturday evenings at 6:50 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sundays.
In 2006, the track was revived and refinished to become the 5/8th-mile harness racetrack known today as Tioga Downs Casino Resort in 2006. They also offer year-round simulcasting featuring the top thoroughbred and harness tracks from all over North America.
Up-to-date track stats, race replays and a race calendar can be accessed directly on the Tioga Downs Casino Resort web page.
Promotions & Loyalty Programs
Players won’t need to search far and wide in order to locate the promotional offers available at Tioga Downs Casino Resort. The resort lists all ongoing promotions on the front page of their website. These offers change with frequency, so always wise to double check this page before making plans to visit the Tioga Downs casino.
Many of the promotional offers require a membership within the Tioga Downs Rewards Club. New members are welcomed with $100 to play in the Tioga Downs casino. Points earned by rewards club members can be exchanged for free play in the casino.
Mobile App
Tioga Downs Casino Resort does not currently offer a mobile app.