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More gloom for Atlantic City as Delaware OKs table games, Philadelphia awaits new casinos
Delaware legislators have dealt the beleaguered Atlantic City gaming industry a further blow by approving a bill that allows the state’s three racinos to offer table games.
They could be introduced at Delaware Park, Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway – all of which currently have only slots – by summer.
It is expected that between 150 and 225 table games could eventually be deployed, attracting customers from Washington and Baltimore and driving down Atlantic City’s table revenue by as much as 15 percent.
The change in the Delaware rules comes shortly after Pennsylvania approved table games, providing further competition for Atlantic City on its doorstep and removing an incentive for Pennsylvania players to visit the New Jersey gaming capital.
Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania and just 62 miles from Atlantic City, is also poised to get two new casinos. The SugarHouse is expected to open this year, while Steve Wynn at the end of February promised to launch a “Wynn signature presentation” in the city with 3000 slots as well as table games. Ironically, he is the man sometimes credited with rescuing the Atlantic City casino business in the 1980s.
Meanwhile, New Jersey is reportedly considering the legalisation of online gambling – provided the equipment to manage it remains within an Atlantic City casino.
Some legislators oppose the scheme, saying it could effectively lead to the creation of racinos with online terminals at racecourses, but Atlantic City’s mayor supports it.
