Just when things were looking up, August casino revenues in Atlantic City fell 7%. Some consolation was to be derived from a 32% increase 
in Internet revenue, up to $16 million. Slot revenue of $167 million was down 5% on 4% less coin-in. Table-game revenue, just over $60 million, fell 10% as players wagered 10% less. Players bet 13% less at Borgata‘s tables but took the house to the cleaners, as it won 29% less, leading to an overall 8% dropoff in gambling revenue. Not an auspicious debut for the MGM Resorts International era at the Borgata . (Slots did bring in 1% more than last year, on flat slot handle.) Despite some tightening of the Internet-gambling market, Borgata is still the lead dog, although Resorts Digital has finally gotten out of last place, slipping past Tropicana Atlantic City (pictured) by a fraction of a percentage point.
No surprise, the strike-afflicted Trump Taj Mahal was at the bottom rung of the ladder, grossing less than $14 million — a 27% freefall. Carl Icahn and Anthony Rodio‘s condescending attitude toward long-suffering Taj employees is killing that casino faster than competition ever could. Ironically, it looks like the Trop vacuumed up some of the business lost by the Taj, up 6% for a gross of $30 million. Also posting a gain last month was the Golden Nugget, up 1% to $20 million. Bally’s grossed nearly 21% but that was a 10% falloff for the low-roller joint. At $34 million, Harrah’s Resort took only slightly more than half of what Borgata did and it suffered a 5.5% dip. Caesars Atlantic City was less of a draw, grossing $28 million, a plunge of 11%. Resorts Atlantic City was flat with last year, grossing $17.5 million. Its ranking has benefited from the mess at Trump Taj but it doesn’t seem to be scooping up any of the business that Icahn and Rodio have thrown away.
