Atlantic City Gambling Not Enough, New Jersey Residents Want More

New Jersey residents have apparently grown tired of the glitz and glamour of the casinos in Atlantic City and instead prefer slots at state horse racing tracks. A new survey has been released that shows New jersey residents in favor of slots at three racetracks.

The Atlantic City casino industry has been ravaged by the economy in recent years. New Jersey gamblers also now have options in other neighboring states such as Connecticut and Pennsylvania, options that were not present when the economic recession began.

Even with all of those options, the majority of the 801 registered voters that was conducted by Fairleigh Dickenson University's PublicMind, were in favor of slots at Freehold Raceway, Monmouth Park, and the Meadowlands. The idea of full casinos including table games, however, was rejected by most people polled.

"The AC gaming industry is just not what it once was," said Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz. "For some gamblers, if they can get slot machines at locations closer to their homes than Atlantic City, then it makes sense they would support such a measure."

Trot-PAC, a political action committee that is pushing for slots at the racetracks, commissioned the survey. Those who are against slots at the tracks point to the small number of people polled and the already expansive gambling options in the state as reasons that slots should not be offered at the tracks.

Pennsylvania has made a major push in the past six months to become the new casino gambling leader on the East Coast. Lawmakers in the state have legalized table games, and several casinos have opened in Pennsylvania in the past year.

Delaware is also making a push to become a gambling leader in the Northeast. In addition to their casino expansion, Delaware lawmakers have also legalized sports betting, something that New Jersey legislators are considering.

June 15, 2010
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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