Atlantic City Casinos Roll Snake Eyes Despite Online Assistance

Ah, Atlantic City, the land of bright lights, slot machines, and the occasional Elvis impersonator. In 2023, however, it seems like Lady Luck took a bit of a vacation from the Jersey Shore. According to the latest figures released by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, Atlantic City’s casinos saw a slight dip in profitability compared to the previous year. With a collective gross operating profit of $744.7 million in 2023, a 1.6% decline from 2022, it appears that the house didn’t always win.

Now, before you go thinking that the whole boardwalk is going bankrupt, hold your horses. All nine casinos in Atlantic City were still in the black in 2023, but only three of them actually saw an increase in profitability. It seems like it’s becoming more expensive for these gambling havens to keep their wheels spinning, and patron spending might not be rising at the same rate. Jane Bokunewicz, the director of the Lloyd Levenson Institute at Stockton University, pointed out that these figures could fuel the fiery debate over whether smoking should be banned in the casinos.

Speaking of smoking, that’s been a hot topic among casino workers for quite some time now. A group of them has been lobbying state lawmakers for over three years to snuff out smoking in the casinos by overturning a provision in New Jersey’s indoor smoking law that currently exempts these establishments. The workers argue that allowing smoking puts their health at risk and that banning it could actually boost revenue and create more jobs. Funny how a puff of smoke can stir up such a cloud of controversy.

When it comes to the digital realm, Caesars Interactive Entertainment NJ and Resorts Digital didn’t quite hit the jackpot in 2023, seeing drops in profits of nearly 28% and 20.5%, respectively. However, in the physical casino world, Borgata, Hard Rock, Ocean, and Tropicana managed to rake in higher profits in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Not too shabby for a town that knows a thing or two about rolling with the punches.

As the casinos navigate through the ups and downs of profitability, they’re also contending with a recent labor contract that beefed up worker salaries. With Hard Rock boasting the highest average occupancy rate and Golden Nugget bringing up the rear, it’s clear that the tides of fortune in Atlantic City are ever-changing. So, as the dice keep rolling and the cards keep shuffling, one thing’s for certain: Atlantic City’s casinos may have hit a bump in the road, but they’re not folding just yet. After all, in this town, the show must go on.