[Bonanza]

Sorry, Bonanza! The State had everything to do with it! It was a state-wide referendum that decided gambling specifically in Atlantic City and was NOT a local or a county "thing"!

From your favorite reference site:
"In 1974, New Jersey voters voted against legalizing casino gambling statewide, but two years later approved a new referendum which legalized casinos, but restricted them to Atlantic City.[10][11] At that time, Nevada was the only state with legal casino gambling. Resorts Atlantic City was the first casino to open in 1978.[12] As part of the state's budget showdown in 2006, gambling in Atlantic City's casinos and at racetracks in the state were forced to close after it was determined that the official monitors from the New Jersey Casino Control Commission were essential and New Jersey law stated that gambling establishments could not legally operate without state oversight. The closures cost the state an estimated $1.3 million in casino revenues in addition to the loss of state taxes collected on casino employee wages"
[Gambling in New Jersey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia'

And from an historical perspective piece:
The History of A.C.’s Gaming Decline | The Save Jersey Blog[/QUOTE]

Once again you are incorrect. It was not the state that had anything to do with gaming going into a particular area -- Atlantic City in this case. It was the vote of the people. Not enough votes? No gaming in Atlantic City. Even with the winning vote, the boundaries within Atlantic City where gaming would go, were determined after the fact and then grew even beyond that.

I don't know how you know I have a favorite reference site, because I don't have one. When I need to research a topic, I refer to many websites to get the "bigger picture." I see you like and trust Wikipedia, specifically. Your quote is very limited. The loss of state monies from employees taxes and business is nothing compared to the revenue brought in from gaming and employees in the gaming industry.

Your knowledge of Atlantic City and gaming is only from what you read on Wikipedia, obviously. You cannot speak from first hand information as I can. Having been raised there, gone to school there, voting for gaming and subsequently from working there from before even day one, my information is much more accurate than yours, which only permits you to read from articles. It does not allow you to have the ability of seeing and knowing what went on there on a day-to-day basis.