Just when it should have been booming with the summer season, Atlantic City casino revenue fell 4% — $197.5 million — although online casino revenues rose 41% (to $16 
million). Resorts Digital — aka PokerStars — is still bringing up the rear, but it’s closing the gap, having raised its market share to 16.5% (Caesars Interactive has 18.5% and Borgata leads the market with 23%.) Luck magnified table and slot revenues at Borgata. Table play was 7% down and revenues dropped 12%. Slot handle rose 1% and casino winnings were up 4%. The megaresort grossed $56 million for a 1% decline.
Other operators would like to have that problem. Their slot and table declines were indicative of 7% less table play and 3% less coin-in at the one-arm bandits. In its last strike-free month, Trump Taj Mahal showed that some of CEO Anthony Rodio‘s Mr. Fix-It moves were paying off, literally, as the casino grossed $17 million, a 13% increase. Below it were the Golden Nugget ($16 million, off 8%) and Resorts Atlantic City ($15 million, up 10%). Paradoxically, the improved results at the Taj might weaken Rodio’s bargaining position with the strikers: It’s harder to poor-mouth them when your revenues are on the upswing.
Rodio’s other property, Tropicana Atlantic City, dipped 4% on a $24 million gross, while the Caesars Entertainment trio all had a bad month, to varying degrees. Bally’s Atlantic City slipped 3% to $17 million, while Caesars Atlantic City fell 11%, to $25 million, and Harrah’s Resort plunged 13% but still managed a $28 million haul, meaning that the second-highest grossing casino in Atlantic City did half as much business as Borgata did.
Great Britain‘s Advertising Standards Authority struck a blow for riff raff when it chastised Paddy Power for advertising a Cheltenham racing promotion as open to “everyone — even riff raff.” The ASA looked into Paddy Power’s fine print and found that 99.5% of its customers were eligible but not “everyone.” So if you’re part of the excluded 0.5%, the ASA’s got your back, even if Paddy Power gets points for creative advertising.
