Atlantic City's First Slot Machine

On Friday, May 26, 1978, the doors opened for the Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, one year after the Casino Control Act of 1977 allowed New Jersey to become the second state in the United States to allow casino gambling. It was within this resort that the city’s first slot machine was installed.

For decades, gambling was illegal in New Jersey. But that didn’t stop Atlantic City from gaining a reputation as an exciting vacationland full of beaches, booze, boardwalks, and betting. Officials often looked the other way, letting people gamble on the down-low.

But things changed for Atlantic City. Las Vegas legalized gambling in 1931, and after World War II, fewer and fewer people began visiting the New Jersey hub. In an effort to revive the once-booming tourism industry, New Jersey decided to legalize gambling.

Resorts Casino was the first casino to open its doors after gambling became legal. As such, it houses the city’s first slot machine. Today, the machine is guarded by plexiglass just inside the entrance to the casino. While many of its brethren have been broken and junked, it still remains operational. Every so often, Resorts Casino will take the machine out for promotional occasions and allow people to take a free single pull.