No thaw for Atlantic City casino revenue

Unseasonably warm temperatures did little to thaw Atlantic City's casino revenue deep freeze in February, with revenue declining by 5.9 percent over last year.

Figures released Friday by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement show the 11 casinos won $242.7 million from gamblers last month.

Slot machine revenue fell 4.2 percent, to $176.2 million, while table game revenue decreased by 10.3 percent, to $66.5 million.

For the first two months of the year, casinos won $479.6 million, which is down 6.6 percent from the same period in 2011.

Eight of the 11 casinos saw their revenue decline, led by ACH, the casino that's changing its name next week to The Atlantic Club. Its revenue fell by 28.6 percent to $8.3 million.

Close behind was the Tropicana Casino and Resort, whose revenue fell by 27.4 percent, to $14.5 million. Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino was down 22.1 percent to just under $9 million.

Bally's Atlantic City was down 10.4 percent to $26.8 million, and Resorts Casino Hotel, whose co-owner, Dennis Gomes, died last month, also was down 10.4 percent, to $11.2 million.

The Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort was down 9.1 percent to $25.9 million, and Caesars Atlantic City was down 7.7 percent to $28.9 million. The Showboat Casino Hotel was down 5 percent to $20.1 million.

The largest gain of the month was posted by The Golden Nugget Atlantic City, whose revenues jumped more than 17.6 percent to $10.9 million from February 2011, when it was known as Trump Marina Hotel Casino.

The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa posted a 7.2 percent increase, to nearly $50.4 million, while Harrah's Resort Atlantic City was up 4.4 percent to $36.3 million.

The casinos collectively paid $19.4 million in taxes in February. That money, 8 percent of taxable gross revenue, goes into the Casino Revenue Fund, which pays for programs for senior citizens and people with disabilities.