South Jersey reviving opposition to North Jersey casinos as some pols push for expanded gambling

Monday, March 30, 2026 2:34 PM
Photo: By Calstanhope - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68016258
  • Wayne Parry, The Press of Atlantic City

Here we go again.

South Jersey is ramping up opposition to allowing casinos in northern and central New Jersey, with federal and state elected leaders asking the governor to quash the idea, and a think tank run by Atlantic County’s Democratic chairman launching a campaign against it.

The moves come as New Jersey is again talking about asking voters to allow casinos in places other than Atlantic City, where the state Constitution has restricted them to since casino gambling began here in 1978.

Two Democratic state senators, Paul Sarlo of Bergen County and Vin Gopal of Monmouth County, have introduced legislation that would again place a referendum in front of voters asking them whether to amend the Constitution to allow casinos outside Atlantic City.