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The parent company of the world’s largest real money online poker room, PokerStars, is looking to purchase the money-losing Atlantic Club Casino in Atlantic City.
The Atlantic Club has notified all of its 1729 employees that their jobs may be in jeopardy should a sale not occur. For its part, PokerStars parent, Rational Group, has said it would like to employ up to 2000 at the newly branded property. Stars is widely expected to hold international poker tournaments at the venue should the sale go through. Such tournaments would help boost the Atlantic City economy and almost certainly lead to additional support jobs in and around the property.
I. Nelson Rose, a professor at Whittier Law School in Southern California and a gambling-law expert, told Buzzfeed.com he could now see PokerStars running a land-based casino within the US, something that in the past would have been almost unimaginable.
"Thirty years ago I would have said that nobody involved with illegal gambling could get a casino license," Rose said. "But that has changed. Now everybody seems to think that if enough time has passed and you change your executives [PokerStars' Scheinberg has stepped down from active management and handed the reins to his son], then it's OK."
Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is considering signing a bill that would allow legalized online gambling within the state’s borders. He has until February 7 to sign or veto the legislation. Christie has sent mixed signals on his intentions up to this point but has also been adament about ensuring the prosperity of Atlantic City.
(Photo Credit: BuzzFeed.com)
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
