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Atlantic City Information

Crime rate drops in 2024, continues positive trend in 2025 - As reported by, Police Chief James Sarkos reported in January 2025 that the Atlantic City crime rate had declined 8.64% in 2024 compared to 2023. Numbers seem to be trending simmilarly through the first three months of 2025, according to Sarkos crime is down 19.19% so far for 2025. 

Date set for trial of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, Dr. La’Quetta Small, the superintendent of Atlantic City Public Schools - As reported by and , the Small's appeared before the Atlantic County Superior Court on March 14th. Judge Bernard DeLury scheduled their final pretrial conference for May 2, 2025, with the trial to begin formally on May 14. The judge will issue a decision March 27 on whether evidence found in the home and on the cellphones of the Atlantic City mayor and schools superintendent will be admissible in the trial.

Facing opposition from neighbors, CocoRico Beach Bar alters expansion plans - As reported by , after facing opposition from neighboring Ocean Club Condominiums, CocoRico Beach Bard has removed a 12-by-40-foot pool from proposed expanded outdoor area. Residents claim as currently constructed is already a summertime nuisance. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority will decide the fate of the proposed expansion plan. 

Grant funds, briefly held up by Trump administration, released, plans to repave Atlantic Avenue and make other improvements to move forward - As reported by , after a brief pause, a $10.3 million grant to repave Atlantic Avenue and make other improvements (streetlighting, synchronization of lights etc.) will move forward. The city's engineer told the press the plan is to award a bid on the project by May. Atlantic Avenue from Maine to Tennessee avenue has been paved the remainder of the project, Tennessee Avenue to Albany Avenues has yet to be completed. The original project, which would have seen Atlantic Avenue reduced to two lanes of traffic from four, was disputed. Last year a settlement in the dispute was reached insuring that Atlantic Avenue from Tennessee Avenue to Missouri Avenue would have four lanes of travel permanently and that the span from Missouri Avenue to Albany Avenue will be temporarily restriped with four travel lanes, pending studies by the state Department of Transportation and further approvals. Additional reporting from . 

Saint Monica's parish decides not to sell Dante Hall - As reported by , Saint Monica's Parish has decided not to follow through on a deal to sell the historic venue to the Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation. The parish will continue to operate the venue with the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, a growing religious community already serving within the parish’s three campus locations in the city. In November, the Chicken Bone Beach foundation was awarded a $1.8 million grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to purchase the property at 14 N. Mississippi Ave. in the city’s Ducktown neighborhood. The foundation had planned to use the venue as a cultural arts center, retaining the 200+ seat theater and converting the upper floors for additional classrooms and teaching areas for music and choir lessons, hosting educational programs and art exhibits, and offering concerts and performances.

New Jersey Gaming News

Caesars Entertainment adds its first branded live dealer studio to Tropicana Atlantic City - According to an April 1, Caesars Entertainment in partnership with Evolution has debuted its first branded, live dealer studio inside Tropicana Atlantic City. This is the second custom studio made for Caesars live dealer offerings on its online casino platforms following the launch of its first such studio in Pennsylvania earlier this year.

Legislators advance bill that would prohibit sports wagering partnerships with institutions of higher education - As recorded by the New Jersey legislature, Bill / cleared the Assembly, received in the Senate and referred to the Senate Higher Education Committee. The bill would ban New Jersey sportsbooks from partnering with college sports programs to provide direct marketing and advertising.The stated goal of the bill is to protect students from being exposed to gambling-related ads on campus, which includes team facilities and arenas. Coverage by .

New iGaming brand could launch in New Jersey for Summer 2025 - According to , international iGaming company, Soft2Bet, has announced plans to enter the US market with the launch of a new iGaming brand in New Jersey. Pending regulator approval, the brand is expected to go live in summer 2025. The launch would be made possible through a market access agreement with Caesars Entertainment. Soft2Bet uses a proprietary gamification tool, Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), which is designed to increase player engagement and retention. They report a 400% increase in screen time and a 65% rise in net gaming revenue among operators using the system.  

Ocean Casino completes rebrand with replacement/upgrade of building signage - As reported by and , Ocean Casino Resort will take the last step in the property's years-long rebranding with the removal and replacement of the iconic "OCEAN" lettering on the building. New signage will include more than 7,000 lights that will glow in multiple colors. 

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 National Gaming News

American Gaming Association predicts Americans will legally wager $3.1 billion on March Madness - According to a March 13 , The American Gaming Association estimates that $3.1 billion will be wagered on the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments - a $400 million increase over 2024 ($2.7 billion). As reported by , sportsbooks like FanDuel hope to capitalize on this activy by introducing exclusive features for the event. 

Legislators reintroduce SAFE Bet Act -As reported by and , The SAFE Bet Act, or Supporting Affordability & Fairness With Every Bet Act, has been reintroduced to Congress. The act would establish minimum federal standards for the regulation of sports betting including a potential ban on all sports gambling advertising between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and during all live sports programming on media regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The current legislation is the same as a bill introduced in 2024 that failed to pass committee.

Local community board votes against zoning changes need to bring Bally's to the Bronx - As reported by , Bronx Community Board 10 voted 29-5 against zoning changes which would make it easier for Bally's to bring a casino hotel to Ferry Point. In 2023 Bally's paid $60 million to acquire the lease on Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx in the hope of constructing and integrated casino resort on the land. The community board vote has not disuaded Bally's which intends to continue pursuing the project.

Michigan Gaming Control Board issues cease-and-desist letters - As reported by , the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued caese-and-desist letters to 10 offshore gaming operators alleging they are illegally offering casino-style games to Michigan residents. The platforms (Aladdin’s Gold Casino, All Star Slots, Buzz Luck, Club World Casinos, CryptoReels, High Noon, Lucky Red Casino, Manhattan Slots Casino, ReelSpin Casino and Slotter Casino) that received the letters are all owned by Apex Dynamics, a company based in Belize. The move comes as the state experiences a decline in monthly gaming revenue. According to MGCB data, Michigan’s iGaming and online sports betting revenue fell 18.9% from January to February 2025, though year-on-year figures remain strong. Additional reporting from .

Mississippi advances legislation to legalize online sports betting and prohibit online sweepstakes - According to , Mississippi legislators have advanced to a conference committee for consideration. The bill initially altered penalties for offering illegal online gambling in the state and explicitly prohibited online sweepstakes. Later, the bill was ammended to include online sports betting language. The state has had legal in-person sports betting since 2018 and had not yet expanded to online. 

Missouri Gaming Commission announces sports betting application opening date, must launch sportsbooks by December 1, 2025 - According to , the has announced that it will begin accepting applications for sports wagering licenses on May 15. Licensing rules will go into effect August 30, and the state is constitutionally mandated to launch sports betting by December 1, 2025. 

Nebraska legislators consider legalization of online sports betting - According to , Nebraska legislators have advanced legislation () that would put online sports wagering on the 2026 ballot. Nebraska voters approved casino gaming, including in-person sports betting, in 2020. 

New Jersey and Nevada gaming regulators determine "prediction market" firms are taking illegal sports bets, send cease-and-desist letters - As reported by and , the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and The Nevada Gaming Control Board, sent cease-and-desist letters to the "prediction markets" companies Kalshi and Robinhood. The companies allow customers to invest in contracts predicting the outcome of a certain event. Regulators determined that these contracts are an illegal form of sports betting and have asked the companies to stop offering them and to void any already in place. Acording to the companies launched a March Madness hub ahead of the tournament brining consumers the opportunity to have a financial stake in March Madness to all 50 states. As states take aim at "prediction markets," Draft Kings could be moving to offer a prediciton product. According to and , the company has a pending application with the , which has served as the regulator for the since 1982. Additional reporting from , , , and  . As of March 31, Kalshi has filed has filed suits against the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) over its ability to offer sports event contracts in those states (see reporting from ).

States take aim at sweepstakes casinos - According to , as of March 18, seven states (Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey and New York) had introduced legislation targeting online sweepstakes operators with prohibitions on the unregulated gambling-like activities. As reported by , on March 11, Missisippi became the first state in the nation to pass legislation () prohibiting sweepstakes platforms. As reported by , New York's Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee advanced which would ban "online games that employ a duel-currency system and/or simulate casino-style gaming as part of a sweepstakes," on March 18. The denounced this action, see reporting from . As reported by and , New Jersey legislators who initially called for the licensing of 'sweeps casinos' under New Jersey gaming law () have introduced a bill () that would ban them outright. Additional reporting from . 

With donation, BetBlocker, enters first academic collaboration in US - As reported by , , Scotland-based creaters of an app designed to block online gambling websites, has donnated funds to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) to support research into gambling blocking software. The funding will contribute to a study led by the International Gaming Institute (IGI), focused on understanding how blocking software is used and its role in gambling harm prevention.

Hospitality & Tourism News

AHLA appoints Kevin Carey as AHLA Foundation president and CEO - According to a March 3 , The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has announced he appointment of Kevin Carey to serve as the AHLA Foundation’s President and CEO effective immediately. Carey, who will continue to serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of AHLA, succeeds Anna Blue, who announced her departure in February.

Airshow returns to Atlantic City for 2025 - As reported by , the airshow will return to Atlantic City on (Tuesday & Wednesday) July 15 and 16. The event, to be called the 'Visit Atlantic City Soar & Shore Festival,' will be presented by Visit Atlantic City, and Columbus, Ohio-based Herb Gillen Airshows. The airshow, with an estimated two-day economic impact of $23 million, drew an audience of 485,000 when it was last offered in 2023. It costs nearly $380,000 to produce. Visit Atlantic City has committed to presenting the airshow and four to five indoor concerts at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in 2025 for nearly $780,000. The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority is said to be in discussion with a company looking at bringing a major airshow to that city September 5 and 6. Additional reporting from . As of March 21, a partial lineup for the 'Thunder Over the Waves' air show had been announced (). 

Atlantic City Aquarium Reopens March 24 - As reported by , the Atlantic City Aquarium reopened to the public on March 24 after five years and $4.7 million in renovations. Funding for the project came primarily from state and federal sources including $1.16 million from The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority for interior updates. Additional funding was part of the overall $3.6 million Gardner's basin grant received from the New Jersey Green Acres program and the state Department of Community Affairs for park improvements.

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) releases 2024 visitor study - LVCVA released their annual As reported by , some visitors have recently spoken out negatively about the resort however the annual study shows nearly all visitors to Las Vegas were satisfied with their trip. Despite puplic complaints about  resort fees, parking fees, $25 cocktails, high table minimums, poor slot payouts, 6:5 blackjack, or double-zero roulette etc. 87% of guests surveyed said their were "very satisfied" with their visit. Just 2% said they were "dissatisfied." The study suggests that patrons are not being turned away by the complaints. 86% of the 41.7 million people who visited Las Vegas in 2024 had been there before (14% were first time visitors - a decline of 10% compared to pre-pandemic 2019). 

Nevada legislators consider bill to bring back mandated daily room cleaning to casino resorts in Las Vegas - As reported by , Senate Bill 360 (), also known as “the Hotel Safety Act,” was introduced on March 17. The bill reinstates a law enacted in August 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic) and repealed in May 2023. The previous law mandated daily housekeeping (unless guests opted out) to maintain health standards. The new bill, which would apply to any hotel with more than 200 guest rooms or suites of guest rooms would reinstate the mandate, provide the authority for room inspections “not less than every second consecutive day during a guest’s occupancy to ensure the safety of the guest and the public,” and protect hotel workers from retaliation over what they find during room inspections.

New Jersey updates liquor laws for large sporting events ahead of hosting World Cup - As announced by the and reported by, New Jersey has updated its existing alcoholic beverage framework to support operations at venues hosting global sporting events. The action comes as the state prepared to host the FIFA Club World Cup and FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium in 2025 and 2026. The changes expand the number of all-inclusice areas allowed at stadiums, areas, team training facilities or similar venues on public property with a seating capacity of 50,000. Under previous guidelines a venue could only designate one area with a cap of 500 persons per event. Now venues will be allowed up to five such areas capped at 500 persons each or 5% of the total venue capacity. A $2,000 fee would be assessed for each all-inclusive area established per day for the duration of the event.

Tariffs and tensions make Canadian visitors a question mark for summer 2025 on the Jersey shore - As reported by political tensions and an unfavorable exchange rate may lead to fewer Canadian visitors to Cape May County and New Jersey shore destinations in summer 2025. Businesses report canceled reservations and a drop in interest from Canadian travelers who represent a notable segment of the annual visitor market. Analysts hope local New Jersey and Pennsylvania travelers will make up the difference cushioning the blow of a potential Cannadian boycott. 

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, Atlantic City, under new management, restaurants receive refresh, housing, boutique hotel and container park underway - As reported by , Salvatore Spena, a more than 30-year veteran of the Atlantic City hospitality industry, will join the partnering team at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall. The recently rennovated beer hall, a staple in the 'Orange Loop' dining-and-entertainment district, is flanked by Cuzzie’s Pizzeria & Kitchen and Rhythm & Spirits. Both establishments will receive a refresh under Spena's leadership. Cuzzie’s will be replaced by Isabella’s Italian Pizza Kitchen, and Rhythm & Spirits will become Paulie’s Steak Italiano. The outdoor beer garden is also set to be renamed Jennifer’s Oyster Bay, and will feature locally sourced oysters from the Barnegat Oyster Conservatory. in addition to these changes, developers in the Orange Loop expect to soon break ground on The Top Hat boutique hotel and Container Park, and the Atlantic Lofts Rehabilitation Project. The loft project, will rehabilitate the eight-story Schwehm Building to create 56 new residential units and first floor commercial space.