New Jersey Senator Worries NY Casinos May Kill Atlantic City

The time to act is now, argues Sen. Vin Gopal, who is one of two backers of Senate Concurrent Resolution 66, a draft bill that seeks to expand and push the New Jersey casino industry beyond its confines in Atlantic City.

New Jersey Senators Worry about Threat from the North

By expanding statewide, Sen. Gopal believes that the Garden State may adapt to increasing competition from the north, citing New York as an existential threat to the local casino industry. 

Sen. Gopal believes that voters should be allowed the opportunity to allow casinos at the state’s two racetracks, which focus exclusively on parimutuel wagering and sports betting. 

Expansion, though, could help stem competition from the north, soften some of the knock-on impact from the Empire State’s decision to expand its own land-based casinos, and revitalize the industry, offering more opportunities for gaming across the state

“We’ve got a gun to our heads. Those gambling dollars that we see in North and Central Jersey are going to go across state lines the second these casinos open,” Sen. Gopal said in a statement. 

The fidgeting comes ahead of anticipated expansion in New York City, where three full-scale land-based casino resorts are expected to appear, two in Queens and one in the Bronx. 

Hard Rock Metropolitan Park at Willets Point, Resorts World New York City at the Queens Aqueduct, and Bally’s Bronx at Ferry Point Park will most likely appeal to New Jersey players who are closer to the state border, and who may head right across to game there instead.

Not Everyone Agrees Casinos Should Expand to the North

To prevent this, Sens. Gopal and Paul Sarlo are now calling to let voters decide if they want more casinos within the state’s borders and closer to players from the north of the state, specifically. 

But while the senators are busy worrying about threats from without, insider opposition against their move is growing. The South Jersey Forward non-profit organization has called out any attempt to expand the casino industry outside of Atlantic City, arguing that it would hurt the local economy. 

Rather than worrying about the threat of the north, which should, in theory, affect Atlantic City’s revenues, the organization believes that New Jersey should hold its own and continue investing heavily in its casino hub instead. 

New Jersey is hardly run poorly right now, with the city still growing and pulling in solid gaming revenue on an annual basis.