Indoor dining to resume at Atlantic City Casinos

Casinos hope the return of indoor dining ahead of Labor Day could attract more casual players to venues.

US.- Governor Phil Murphy has announced that casinos in New Jersey will be allowed to resume indoor dining this weekend.

Indoor dining will be permitted as of 6am on Friday September 4, albeit at a reduced 25 per cent capacity. The decision means that many casino restaurant and bar employees can return to work.

The nine casinos in Atlantic City closed in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic and reopened on July 2.

Gov. Murphy initially planned on allowing indoor dining to resume from the outset, but changed his decision days before casinos reopened due to a spike in Covid-19 cases in the state.

Casinos hope lifting the ban will attract more casual gamblers to venues, and boost revenues, which have been heavily hit by the pandemic.

Jane Bokunewicz, an expert on gaming, hospitality and tourism at Stockton University said: “Having restrictions lifted before Labor Day is a decision that is certainly welcomed by the industry.”

“Although food and beverage revenue represented only 17.5 per cent of total revenue, having indoor dining will make a visit to the casinos more attractive, especially to visitors who may have postponed their summer vacation plans.”