Atlantic City's annual casino revenue dropped by half, from $5.2 billion in 2006 to $2.86 billion by 2013. Pennsylvania legalized casino gambling in 2006 Maryland, New York and Delaware have also entered the fray. In the 21st century, Atlantic City's casinos have fallen on hard times due to competition from other states.

Atlantic City was revived after a state-wide referendum in 1976 legalized casino gambling in the city, and casinos began popping up along the Boardwalk and in the Marina District in 1978. The heyday for Atlantic City as a beach resort lasted through the first half of the 20th century, when it fell out of favor. In its early days, Atlantic City catered to urban workers from Philadelphia. It was founded in the late 19th century as a resort destination after railroad companies built track between Absecon Island (on which the city exists today) and Philadelphia. Atlantic City is more than just a gambler's haven it's a legendary resort town like no other.įrom its founding, Atlantic City has always been about tourism. While many visitors come just for the casinos, which had revitalized Atlantic City in the late 1970s after decades of decline, if you never set foot on the beach it's fair to say you're missing the whole point. The city's beaches and the famous wood-plank walkway have attracted visitors for more than a century. Its streets are familiar to anyone who's ever played Monopoly (the American version), but board game fans aren't the only ones who want to 'take a walk on the Boardwalk'. The entertainment capital of the Eastern Seaboard, Atlantic City is New Jersey's most popular resort destination.

Atlantic City casinos at night The Atlantic City Boardwalk For other places with the same name, see Atlantic City (disambiguation).

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