Autumn chill in Atlantic City; Christmas present for VictoryLand

For the first time in over a year, there are no casino closings to be factored into Atlantic City‘s gaming revenue, no more same-store comparisons. So how did the Boardwalk fare? Even with an extra weekend day, revenue dipped 3%. Slot coin-in and winnings (or “losses” if you’re a player) were both down a percentage point. Although table-game wagering was flat with last year, casino winnings fell 9%.

Lady Luck smiled on Borgata ($58 million), however, where revenues were up 11%. Coin-in rose 12% and winnings 11%. Table play was up very modestly (1%) but the house played lucky, winning 9% than last October. By contrast, players creamed Caesars Atlantic City ($23 million), which was 25% off last year’s pace. The only plausible explanation for Caesars’ constant, high volatility is that Caesars Entertainment shepherds all its VIPs there — although that could change if Harrah’s Resort is permanently spun off into “good Caesars,” with the other top-echelon properties.

Speaking of Harrah’s ($29 million), it was down 10%, and the low-roller strategy continues to be a bit of struggle for Bally’s Atlantic City ($17 million), off 2.5%. Business was flat at Tropicana Atlantic City, which logged $22 million in revenue.

At the risk of ‘burying the lead,’ then-CEO Bob Griffin of Trump Taj Mahal can leave with a “Mission Accomplished” banner flying high: The Taj slid into last place ($14 million), plunging 19% and passing Resorts Atlantic City ($15 million, 21% up) on the way down. Congratulations to Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority and good riddance to Bungling Bob, one of the most hapless CEOs I’ve ever covered. As for Resorts, it finished just the tiniest fraction behind Golden Nugget ($15 million, flat with 2014). Look out, Tilman Fertitta! The Mohegans are coming for you next.

* Alabama citizens are getting an extra-large Christmas present in the form of a December 25 reopening of VictoryLand. That’s if owner Milton McGregor can get Santa to deliver new electronic bingo machines. McGregor lost his appeal to have 1,615 machines previously seized by the state restored to him. According to The Associated Press, McGregor’s lawyer said that “VictoryLand workers were doubtful that those machines would have worked anyway if returned.” After all, they’d been gathering dust since 2013.

McGregor’s running a risk. State Attorney General Luther Strange (below) still lusts to shut VictoryLand down for good, even though Montgomery Circuit Judge William Shashy ruled that the machines are constitutional in Macon County. McGregor holds that voters knew, for all the Class II bells and whistles, it was electronic bingo they voted into law, not balls and daubed paper. Strange will be further hampered by an executive order from Gov. Robert Bentley (R) devolving the enforcement of gambling laws to sheriffs and districts. You might call that a Strange turn of events.