The first casino in town was Resorts International: an old Quaker rooming house that was built in 1868, where the casino floor was open between 10am and 4am (6am on weekends). It was the country’s second legal casino gambling endeavor outside of Nevada, and over the opening weekend crowds of up to 500,000 were expected. The beginning of something specialOn May 26, 1978, legalized gambling officially began, with casinos in Atlantic City celebrating to great fanfare, with ribbon-cutting ceremonies and a steady line of customers ready to put their coins into the new slot machines and throw down money at the tables. Let’s take a step back in time and check out how this city rose to fame and fortune.
However, it was the 1980s when this city was a real pinnacle of glamor and excess. New Jersey’s answer to Vegas, Atlantic City, has long been a mecca for gambling heads, as well as those looking for an exciting beachside escape.
