New Jersey Lawmakers Divided on Casino Expansion Beyond Atlantic City

New Jersey legislators have begun considering an expansion of the state’s casino industry beyond Atlantic City. This comes as New York City prepares to open three new casinos, including a $5.5 billion expansion of Resorts World at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, which is adding 2,000 table games this week.

Some legislators, like New Jersey Sen. Vin Gopal (D), argue that expanding the casino industry to Northern New Jersey will keep gambling dollars in the state. “We’ve got a gun to our heads,” Gopal said. “Those gambling dollars that we would see in North and Central Jersey are going to go across state lines the second these casinos open.”

However, others believe a better solution is to invest more in Atlantic City. The Meadowlands and Monmouth Park racetracks, which offer horse racing and sports betting, are pushing to bring full-scale casinos to the properties to better compete with New York City casinos and also to help sustain the racing industry. Monmouth operator Darby Development CEO and Chairman Dennis Drazin told Politico, “The most important question for the Legislature and the governor is: How do we as a state keep the gaming revenue in New Jersey?”