12% of Gamblers Would Choose New York Over Atlantic City

In a recent poll conducted by the Fairleigh Dickinson University 57% of New Jersey gamblers chose Atlantic City when asked about their preferred gambling destination, 12% of those asked would gamble in New York while the remainder of the study participants could not decide or refused to answer the question.

Though some believe that the 12% who have their heart set on the Big Apple could cause a problem for the Atlantic City gambling industry if they indeed left New Jersey, the president of Showboat, Bally’s and Caesars casinos, Kevin Ortzman found the overall numbers promising, “The results of this poll underscore that our visitors return to Atlantic City time and again because it remains the heart of gaming, world-class entertainment and many great experiences in New Jersey and the entire region.
I believe as we continue to diversify with non-gaming amenities and experiences, we’ll not only retain the customer base, but grow through the new and exciting offerings and experiences Atlantic City will offer.”

The study is a timely assessment of local gambling habits as since 2006 Atlantic City’s casino revenues have nosedived from $5.2 billion to $2.86 billion. The New Jersey gambling capital is being undercut by Pennsylvania that now ranks second after Nevada in the US casino market.