New Jersey’s only brick-and-mortar casinos are in Atlantic City, but that could change soon.
With casinos in Atlantic City seeing declining revenues over the last few months and increased competition from other cities, Garden State legislators are considering a constitutional amendment allowing for casinos in different areas.
Bill SCR130 calls for allowing a casino at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford and Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport. The racetracks are already home to brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, and Meadowlands is the land-based partner allowing FanDuel to operate an online casino and sportsbook.
The plan comes as the Garden State faces competition from the largest city in the country, and an area that typically has many of its typical Atlantic City customers.
New York will award three downstate casino licenses by the end of the year, negating the need for Northern New Jersey and New York gamblers to make the two-hour trek to Atlantic City.
“This plants a flag to send a message to New York State that if they open a casino in Manhattan, that New Jersey is ready to respond to the competition,” said the bill’s co-sponsor Sen. Paul Sarlo.
Sen. Vin Gopal also sponsored the bill and believes the time to act is now to keep the state’s casino industry competitive. Beyond New York, other nearby states have legalized casinos in recent years, including Maryland, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
“The racetracks and casinos continue to be a driving force for the economy in New Jersey, and even more so now that sports betting is legal,” Gopal said.
An exact date for putting the amendment on the ballot isn’t included in the legislation. An amendment would need to be approved by three-fifths of the assembly and senate to be placed on the ballot. The issue could also be placed before voters with just a majority by both bodies in two straight years.
Voters rejected a plan for a northern New Jersey casino in 2016.
New Jersey citizens approved a referendum allowing for casinos in Atlantic City in 1974 after nixing a similar effort two years earlier. Legalized gambling in Atlantic City officially went into effect in 1976 with the first property, Resorts International, opening two years later.
The industry thrived in the 1980s as the only location outside Nevada where Americans could legally gamble. By 1987, Atlantic City was the most-visited city in the country with over 20 million visitors annually and became a major competitor for Las Vegas. However, increased competition from other states saw the city’s gaming industry decline in recent years, including the closing of a few properties.
Despite the closures, operators are making moves to attract players back. For example, Caesars Entertainment announced the World Series of Poker Circuit would return to Harrah’s Atlantic City this August.
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