NJ Casino News: Weekly Roundup

Get the latest casino news and updates in New Jersey for this week (July 17, 2021 – July 23, 2021).

New Jersey Online Casinos Continue to Exceed $100 Million in Monthly Revenues

Showing that business is bouncing back after last year’s shutdowns, Atlantic City Casinos set a new monthly record for gross gambling revenue in June. The city’s casinos earned more than $345 million:

“The positive effect of online sports betting, the race for market share, and the behavioural changes that stemmed from last year’s pandemic-related shutdowns continue to benefit online casinos and poker rooms,” Eric Ramsey, analyst for PlayNJ.com, said. “$1bn in annual revenue seems like a certainty now. And more growth could come this fall, even with Atlantic City recovering.”

What We Do in the Shadows May Feature AC Casinos

The delightfully macabre vampire comedy series What We Do in the Shadows premieres its third season in September, and fans of the show’s vampiric roommates are excited. According to a press release, we can expect to see the Staten Island crew of undead get into more wild and silly mischief that just might include some time in Atlantic City:

This season, the vampires are elevated to a new level of power and will encounter the vampire from which all vampires have descended, a tempting Siren, gargoyles, werewolf kickball, Atlantic City casinos, wellness cults, ex-girlfriends, gyms, and supernatural curiosities galore. Plus, Colin Robinson is turning 100. And Nandor, faced with his own eternal-life crisis, tries to inject his life with more meaning. Will he find love or is he destined to be an immortal bachelor with 37 ex-wives?

AC Fishing Tournament Huge Success

The inaugural Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring fishing tournament ended this past Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City with an award ceremony and all-day party. The weeklong event had 600 anglers competing for a championship ring, including NBA Hall of Famer and avid fisher Michael Jordan who wowed the crowd after catching a 70-pound big eye tuna:

The tournament brought 1,500 people (both participants and guests) who booked over 4,000 room nights, and netted about $3 million, which brought awareness and diversity to the resort, Meet AC and Atlantic City Sports Commission President Larry Sieg said.

“With a destination like ours that is completely surrounded by water, we are positioned perfectly for these types of events, and we look forward to having many, many more of them,” said Sieg, who praised his team for helping put on the event.

Hard Rock Atlantic City the Backdrop for a History-Making SI Swimsuit

Hard Rock International partnered with Sports Illustrated for the upcoming 2021 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, offering their various properties as backdrops for the photoshoots. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City was the setting for a trailblazing Swimsuit cover shoot that features their first transgender model, Leyna Bloom from Chicago:

“This moment heals a lot of pain in the world. We deserve this moment; we have waited millions of years to show up as survivors and be seen as full humans filled with wonder,” [Bloom] wrote.

…For her striking cover shot – wearing a white Gil Rodriguez one-piece – she was photographed by Yu Tsai at TK Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City.

…“Leyna is legendary in the world of activism, strikingly gorgeous, and has an undeniable sense of self that shines through the minute she walks on set,” [Sports Illustrated editor MJ Day] shared. “We are honored to have her in this year’s issue and understand the effect it will have on so many others. She joins our team, not because of what she represents but because of her beauty, commitment, and desire to leave the world a better place.”

The Fight to Ban Smoking in AC Casinos Continues

Advocacy group Americans for Nonsmokers Rights is looking to fully ban smoking again in Atlantic City casinos and nationwide. The thinking is that, since casinos reopened in June to record numbers but smoking was still banned until July, the establishments can still be profitable without allowing smoking:

“Another record-breaking revenue month in Atlantic City — while casinos operated smoke-free — offers the latest evidence that smoke-free is good for business,” [Americans for Nonsmokers Rights President and CEO Cynthia Hallett] said. “Industry arguments for indoor smoking, even in the year 2021, have lost credibility. It’s time for Gov. (Phil) Murphy and Senate President (Stephen) Sweeney to act to finally close the casino loophole so that workers and guests are not forced to breathe harmful secondhand smoke. No one should have to choose between a job and a paycheck.”

Spirit Airlines Adds First International Routes Out of Atlantic City

Starting this winter, Spirit Airlines will be adding three new destinations out of Atlantic City International Airport (ACY): Cancun, Miami, and San Juan. Spirit, the only major airline that flies into ACY, already flies out to seven destinations, including Atlanta, Orlando, and West Palm Beach:

Atlantic City is a convenient airport for much of southern New Jersey. Philadelphia, Trenton, or Newark may be too inconvenient for large swaths of travelers, and Spirit has made the services work. In fact, this summer, Spirit’s operations at ACY were 35% larger than the same time in 2019.

Looking at Spirit’s services, most of them are geared toward travelers departing from Atlantic City. The carrier is not necessarily flying too many tourists into the city that is known boardwalks, beaches, and casinos. Nevertheless, the airline’s ultra-low-cost model with unbundled fares certainly seems to be doing well in this primarily leisure-driven market with demand mostly to destinations in the southeastern United States. Now, Spirit is trying some new international and domestic flying.