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Gambling Revenue Drops at Atlantic City Casinos

Blog it!By Suzanne Moore | Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 09:12
Categories: Travel & Casinos | Business & Finance

Online Casino

Atlantic City's January gambling revenue has dropped for the first time since gambling began in the city in 1978.

Casino gambling revenue could decline in 2007 further due to increasing competition from casinos in neighboring states, new restrictions on smoking in casinos and the closing of one casino.

If indeed the annual revenue of the casinos in New Jersey decreases, it will mean trouble for not only the gambling industry, but also its customers and the state itself, which relies on casinos taxes.

Slot parlors in Pennsylvania have already begun to cut into Atlantic City's revenue. Overall revenue at Atlantic City casinos dropped 2.9 percent compared with 2006, but the decline in slots revenue was even sharper at 7.2 percent.

But this does not mean only bad news. This competition with neighboring states may very well cause casinos to be even more aggressive about offering financial incentives such as free rooms or show tickets to keep players coming to Atlantic City. It may also accelerate a movement already well under way: Making sure there's a lot more attractions in Atlantic City than just gambling in casinos.

Readers' Soapbox

Smoking Ban AC Casinos
Submitted by Judith Sericolo on Sat, 2007-06-16 13:14.	reply
I have been a DIAMOND player in AC for 8 years. I live in Upstate NY. I will not be back to AC. Smoking may be down across the country but NOT in a casino. The 75/25 split in favor of non smokers is BACKWARDS. I will not be stuffed into a corner as one of the majority or forced to leave a machine I've sunk 1000's of dollars in to go to a separate space or outside to smoke. AC taxpayers had better get ready for big enough tax increases to cover the states loss with such a stupid move. The new casinos between me an AC are all smoking and closer any way. It will take millions which the AC casinos will eventually make up to construct a smoking and non smoking floor in every casino. Its going to be the only way to make everyone happy, i.e., the smokers, non-smokers, the casinos and the state. Just be sure to put the smokers ABOVE the non smokers otherwise they'll complain the smoke RISES onto their floor.

casino smokine laws
Submitted by susan szabo on Thu, 2008-01-31 06:21.	reply
I am also a diamond card player. Will not go to ac since smoking laws came into effect. I now contribute my children's inheritance at the Mohegan Sun in Ct. Also understand they are losing revenue in ac. I guess the non-smokers are too busy gloating over their smoking ban to play.