The States less interested in the stakes

The U.S.A have been hit hard by the recession, with there gambling sector no exception.

A casino in California is laying off nearly 10% of it’s staff because of the tough economic climate.  Just three years after it underwent renevations.

The Colusa Casino Resort are now facing a dogged battle with other recreational activities for business.

These battles stretch from East to West, with the New Jersey Casino Control Commission reporting last month that the seaside resort’s 11 gambling halls had a 15.4% decrease in revenue for May, compared with a year ago.

Slot machine revenue fell 14.9 percent to $246.6 million, but remained Atlantic City’s main revenue generator – making up 70 percent of last month’s total revenue. (story here)

This is thanks in part to the economy and the competition which has surfaced from it.

Their rival Pennsylvania’s eight casinos took in $178.4 million in gross slots revenue last month, up 17.9 percent from a year ago.

An indication that although most casino’s profits’ are diminishing, some are seeing gains.

Gaming analysts say the debut of the $743 million Sands Resort Casino in Bethlehem on May 22 gave Pennsylvania slots revenue a boost at a cost to Atlantic City.

The new casino draws heavily from New York and North Jersey, two key feeder markets for Atlantic City. About 45 percent of the gambling mecca’s clientele come from there.

Even during a recession, it appears that there is a winner in these casino clashes, though it is obvious these are still tough times for all.

For the first five months of the year, the 11 Atlantic City casinos took in $1.62 billion, down 15.7 percent from the same period last year. (story here)