History of Atlantic City Casinos – Resorts & Gambling

The history of Atlantic City casinos is fascinating even to people who are not fond of gambling. The story tells of gangsters, celebrities, lux resorts, and high stakes. We will tell you when the first resort was created, when gambling became legal and how casinos improved Atlantic City’s economy. Read on to see which casinos work today and where is the New Jersey gambling industry headed.

The Atlantic City casinos’ history shows about 150 years of gambling. Atlantic City’s fame is due to the great resorts and hotels offering gaming floors. The casinos’ story shows their evolution from illegal gambling dens to modern land-based and online casinos. Read on because the lines below hold all this and more information, and don’t skip the answers to readers’ questions at the end.

Atlantic City Gambling History

The Atlantic City history goes back centuries when the Lenape Native Americans resided here. The late 1670s was when Thomas Budd (an Englishman) and the rest of the Europeans’ arrived, bringing irreversible changes in the landscape and government of the region. By the 1870s, Atlantic City, New Jersey, was known for its historic Boardwalk, buzzing casinos, and great shoreline resorts.

Even though the local population had wagering games and competitions with prizes, the history of gambling in Atlantic City began with the establishment of the first saloons, bars, and high-society clubs. Anyone curious about gambling locations has to dig through history until the entire past is revealed. In the meantime, many questions may arise. We spared your time and answered some of them:

The story of Atlantic City gambling is part of the gambling games’ history around the globe. There are many proves of ancient gambling in the USA, like 5000-year-old dice, gaming pieces of wagering games, and stories about interesting competitions. Thanks to diligent historians, we have more details about the last century than ever.

In this blog post, we will turn your attention to the casinos in Atlantic City, NJ, and keep the racetracks and other gambling establishments for another time. We will tell you about the rise and fall of the gaming industry and even the history of failed casinos in Atlantic City. The roulette wheel spins, and we will take you through the brightest and darkest days of this resort and gambling-oriented city. Here we go!

Atlantic City Casino History During the 1900s

The history of casinos in Atlantic City starts at the end of the nineteenth century when Chalfont Haddon Hall Hotel opened between 1868 – 1869. Two years later, in 1870, Atlantic City’s Boardwalk appeared, drawing even more crowds. In the first years of the 1900s, there was a boom in hotel and entertainment centre construction. That is when the history of Atlantic City blends with the history of gambling in the USA.

Prohibition Era (1920-1933)

The Prohibition Era brought a real blow to the legal economy in the USA, but criminal activities were thriving. That is when the world started hearing news about the city of gangsters – Atlantic City. This part of the history of Atlantic City casinos takes us to illegal gambling rooms and shady characters who run the liquor, gambling, smuggling, and other illegal activities. As a result, Prohibition barely applied in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

During this time, crime bosses like Enoch L. “Nucky” Johnson gained power and influence. He even reached across the city’s borders and, in 1929, created the National Crime Syndicate with other major organized crime figures from all over the USA. Some of those who attended the meeting were Al Capone, Charles “Lucky” Luciano (Masseria family lieutenant), Johnny “the Fox” Torrio (Chicago South Side Gang boss), Meyer Lansky (Meyer Mob), and Benjamin Siegel (Bugs).

“We have whiskey, wine, women, song, and slot machines….” – John Stone, Enoch L. “Nucky” Johnson

This was a double law time in Atlantic City gambling history because the government and street laws collided. Even though they were available to a limited circle, the original Atlantic City casinos rivalled some of the great New York casinos from the past in glamour and profit. They were visited even by officials and famous people who joined the party and agreed that Atlantic City truly was “The World’s Playground”.

The Mid-Century Crisis

You may not know who invented the casinos, but you have certainly been in one or at least seen it in the movies. After the end of Prohibition began the Nightclub Era when casinos were the place to be, cocktails, the latest drinks, and jazz spread all over.

The old Atlantic City casinos were not the only talk of the town. In 1939, the racetracks were legalized again, and the Freehold Raceway (the oldest racetrack in the USA, built in the 1830s) was reopened. This was one more reason why people visited the coastal resort and headed for the tables whenever there were no races.

After a couple of decades of fun and profit, the Atlantic City casinos’ history took another recession. After WWII, the high crime, poverty, population, and economic decline turned gamblers’ attention to other destinations in the USA, like Reno and Las Vegas in Nevada or Miami in Florida. By the late 1960s, most casinos were demolished, and the remaining hotels were renovated to meet the new demands of the players.

Legal Gambling & Sprouting Casinos (1970-1987)

A major decision on behalf of the government that turned into a pivot point in the Atlantic City casino history and the state’s history was the Casino Gambling Referendum in 1976, where was decided to legalize gambling and create the New Jersey Lottery. It was decided that the New Jersey Gambling Commission (NJGC) and the New Jersey Casino Control Commission will manage all gambling-related matters.

The Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel became the first licensed commercial casino outside of Nevada State under the name Resorts International Atlantic City and opened in 1978. The other old Atlantic City casinos were also refurnished, renovated, and opened doors. The boom in the construction of new gambling establishments proved profitable during the next years and proved that Atlantic City is still a renowned tourist destination.

New Fall of the Atlantic City Gambling Industry

Suppose you are interested in the history of Atlantic City, NJ, and the general history of the United States of America. In that case, you will know that when one region thrives, another suffers. The same goes for the gambling industry and is obvious when we try to decide who is better – Atlantic City or Las Vegas. The history of failed casinos in Atlantic City shows that as the Las Vegas competition thrived in the 1990s, the following Atlantic City venues declined and even closed:

The competition was severe, and the scales tilted both ways because, at Atlantic City gambling history upheaval, many gambling locations in Reno and Las Vegas were having troubles. Atlantic City remains in history with more than great resorts. For example, an Atlantic City Blackjack game is played at many casinos. If you don’t know what the difference is, check the rest of our articles to learn more about the blackjack variations and who invented blackjack.

Atlantic City Casinos Today

The modern gambling venues are still writing the latest ink on the Atlantic City casinos’ history pages. During the last decade, more operators decided to revive the wagering entertainment . The history of Atlantic City, New Jersey, shows people returning to the racetracks, motorways, casinos, bingo halls, and other gambling venues. Players need to be at legal gambling age in the USA and willing to have fun at the:

Seeing the names of those popular brands is like a relief after the sad history of failed casinos in Atlantic City for economic and demographic reasons. All operators above are licensed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE), and the gambling venues follow the latest trends in casino gaming. Furthermore, the industry keeps growing and evolving all the time.

The gambling activities Atlantic City offers inspire many people’s creativity and desire to be part of The World’s Playground. As a result, we see many references in pop culture, themed games like Atlantic City Blackjack, and more. The easiest way for people worldwide to experience the spirit of the city is through TV series like Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014) and movies like Atlantic City (1980), Fatal Desire (2006), and the movie Rounders (1998).

Atlantic City Online Casinos – The Future of Gambling in NJ

Now that you know the history of Atlantic City casinos is time to look at the future. After legalizing online gambling in 2012, many local and out-of-state operators created online casinos based in New Jersey. Perhaps the next newest casino in Atlantic City will open simultaneously with its online version, but for now, the land-based operators upgrade to online casinos:

All those brands are popular and play a large part in the Atlantic City casino history. By creating online variations of the brick-and-mortar casinos, the operators can offer their excellent services to a wider range of players. You can find details about the Atlantic City online casinos, their games, and bonuses in our list of the top online casinos in the USA for 2024 and the other reviews on our site.

History of Atlantic City Casinos Interesting Questions

The history of Atlantic City casinos has many downfalls and surprising twists that keep our attention on it. We took you on a stroll along Broadway and told you about the casinos and the gambling history in Atlantic City. Now, we will answer several curious questions on the matter, but if you need more details, follow the links.

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