Seneca Nation Says It Reached a Gaming Compact Deal "In Principle" — New York Says Not So Fast
The Seneca Nation says it has reached new gaming compact terms "in principle" with New York State, ending what it describes as more than three years of stalled negotiations — but Governor Kathy Hochul's office disputes that any deal is actually done, according to Casino.org. Seneca Nation President J.C. Seneca made the announcement on October 2, saying the proposed terms would eliminate the tribe's revenue-sharing payments to the state going forward. A Hochul spokesperson responded that the governor remains in "productive discussions" with the Nation but "has not agreed to a new compact."
What's actually being disputed
The Seneca Nation's prior compact with New York expired in December 2023. Under its terms, the tribe paid the state 25% of gross gaming revenue from slot machines in exchange for exclusive rights to Class III casino gaming in a defined Upstate New York territory west of State Route 14. Since the compact lapsed, the Senecas have continued setting aside that 25% share in an escrow account rather than paying the state directly, while the two sides have failed to agree on replacement terms.
President Seneca was blunt about why his side is now proposing a deal with no revenue share at all: "New York was unwilling to provide us any market protections or opportunities to grow and generate more revenue for us and for the local community," he said. "Instead, Governor Hochul just wanted to keep taking advantage of the Seneca Nation and taking money the state isn't entitled to. Because of Governor Hochul's continued hostility toward the Seneca Nation... we negotiated an agreement in principle with no revenue share agreement."
Why the exclusivity fight matters
At the center of the dispute is the tribe's claim that New York violated its exclusivity rights by authorizing video gaming machines (VGMs) at state-regulated commercial facilities inside the Senecas' own territory. Casino.org identifies three such facilities — Hamburg Gaming, Batavia Downs Gaming, and Finger Lakes Gaming — which together run nearly 3,000 gaming machines and reported $27.4 million in VGM revenue in August alone. From the tribe's perspective, those machines are exactly the kind of in-territory competition its compact was supposed to prevent, which is part of why it's now pushing to drop the revenue-sharing arrangement rather than renegotiate the split.
According to President Seneca, the newly proposed terms would need to go to a vote once the New York State Legislature convenes "next spring" — meaning, even by the tribe's own account, this is a framework still awaiting a formal vote, not a signed, finalized compact.
Why it matters to the industry
Tribal gaming compacts are the legal foundation that lets tribes operate casinos with exclusivity protections in exchange for revenue sharing, and disputes like this one directly affect state gaming revenue, competing commercial operators, and the tribe's own casino economics. A deal that drops revenue sharing entirely, if it's ultimately approved by the legislature, would mark a significant shift in how that balance is struck — and the public disagreement over whether an "agreement in principle" even exists underscores how far apart the two sides remain on the basic facts of where this negotiation stands.