In a few years, though, gambling in New York might look very different. In short, at Resorts World, the state’s Gaming Commission prohibits the frills that would give the experience any hint of what happens in Vegas or even in Atlantic City. You can rock out to Elton John tribute bands, but there aren’t any free drinks, and there’s no smoking either. Blackjack, baccarat, and other table games are available - but only electronically.

The city’s only casino is on the outer edge of Queens, just a few minutes’ drive from JFK airport, flanked by a Home Depot and the Aqueduct racetrack, and it’s a 6,500-machine e-gaming paradise for gamblers in jeans and bright sneakers. If you’re seeing a raucous poker table or a smoke–filled back room with tuxedo-clad dealers, you’ve never gambled in New York City.