How Hamburg Gaming fits together
The site has two names because it has two parts. Hamburg Gaming is the gaming hall, and Buffalo Raceway is the half-mile oval next door, reached from McKinley Parkway. One trip can cover both, though the meet is short and the hall runs alone most of the year. Our what is a racino page explains the model.
Buffalo Raceway opened in 1942 with its half-mile track and grandstand, and the owners of the Sportservice Corporation, the business that grew into Delaware North, later bought it. Winter racing started in 1971 and simulcasting followed in the 1980s. The Erie County Agricultural Society acquired the property in 1990, and the machines arrived in March 2004.
Inside the Hamburg Gaming casino
The casino floor holds more than 900 machines, from video poker to progressive jackpots, and the state gaming commission counted 861 in daily operation in September 2026. Smokers have a separate veranda, and a lottery redemption counter pays out winning New York Lottery tickets. The hall reported more than $50 million in jackpot payouts in 2026 through late August.
As at every racetrack hall in the state, the machines are lottery terminals tied to a central system, as our video lottery terminals guide describes. There are no dealers, poker tables or sports betting. Players join Ember Rewards, the Delaware North card also used at Finger Lakes, and members over 50 get extra free play on Wednesdays.
Age requirement and responsible play
The age requirement for the Hamburg Gaming floor is 18, the same as at the other video gaming halls at New York racetracks, and the same age requirement applies to playing any machine. The operator lists the state HOPEline and a voluntary self-exclusion program, and suggests setting a spending limit before play.
Buffalo Raceway harness racing
The live meet runs early in the year. In 2026 racing went on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons with a 2:30 p.m. first post, plus a noon start on Kentucky Derby Day, and the season closed in mid-July. Simulcast wagering is offered on site through the same months, so bettors can follow other tracks between live races.
The 2026 season set four track records, all by trotters. Drew Monti won his second straight driving title with a career-high 137 wins and more than $1 million in purse earnings, and Samuel Smith collected his fourth straight training title with 70 wins. Infinity Stone was named trotter of the meet and Make My Deo pacer of the meet.
Changes are coming for 2027. General manager Jon Cramer has said the meet will open in March and that the passing lane in the stretch will be removed, which changes how drivers plan the last turn. Our horse racing schedule collects opening dates across the state as tracks publish them.
Dining and events at Hamburg Gaming
Food options are casual. Indulge is the sit-down restaurant, Cyclone Bar and the Clubhouse Sports Bar show games on large screens, and the Winner’s Circle Cafe sits close to the raceway. Tim Hortons and the Express Kitchen cover coffee and quick bites. The hall also has event spaces and catering for private parties, meetings and group outings.
Getting there and nearby racinos
The hall faces South Park Avenue in the town of Hamburg, in Erie County south of Buffalo, a short drive from the city along local roads. Hamburg Gaming is the closest racino to the city. Batavia Downs, under an hour east, races harness horses from July to December, while Finger Lakes near Rochester has thoroughbreds from April.