Atlantic City casinos to launch Internet gambling on November 26

If all goes well, the casinos can begin full Internet gambling at 9 a.m. on November 26. Gamblers would have to be physically located within New Jersey’s boundaries to play. New Jersey will be the third state in the nation to offer online gambling, along with Nevada and Delaware.

“I think this is going to be a significant revenue stream,” said Robert Griffin, CEO of Trump Entertainment Resorts, which operates two casinos here. “It has the potential to make up 20 percent of our revenue.”

He said state regulators have not yet explained how the guests who are invited to participate in the trial period are to be selected, but said it would have to be a significant enough number to test the system’s capabilities.

New revenue source

Online gambling is designed to give the struggling casinos new revenue, though some worry the in-person business will simply migrate to computers, leading to casino job losses. Atlantic City’s casino revenue has plunged from a high of $5.2 billion in 2006 to a little more than $3 billion last year and could dip below that mark by the end of this year. Thousands of casino jobs have been lost already as many gamblers choose options closer to their homes in Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland.

Regulations governing online gambling will take effect October 21. Nine of the city’s 12 casinos have acknowledged lining up partners for Internet gambling, and a 10th is widely rumored to have selected a partner, as well.

The Tropicana Casino and Resort has joined with Gamesys, which runs the jackpotjoy.com website. The four casinos owned by Caesars Entertainment - Caesars Atlantic City, Bally’s Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resorts Atlantic City and the Showboat Casino Hotel - are partnering with 888 Holdings.