Will The Casino In The US Change Under Trump?

The new POTUS has come forward as a glimmering light for casino fans. People can not help but think about the late 1900s when he was young and how he invested billions of American dollars into developing his casino world! Players who live to play real money games see a ray of hope with President Trump taking over the White House. 

They hope that he will do some magic and make real-money games legal all over the country, and people will be able to play these games in local establishments and online! Come with us as we decode what recent actions were made by the president that show us his interest in this goal. 

The gambling industry in America is more controversial than an outsider may realise. In 43 of the US states, casino gambling is legal and sports betting has even less than that with 39 of the states not allowing their residents to bet on sports. 

Even though some states see casino games as something that should be illegal, casinos are still engrained in the US culture and with Trump having a long history with casinos, we expect that he may make country-wide changes to push gambling to have full state legality. This would mean that every state would allow gambling, whether casinos or sports betting, including online and physical casinos. 

This part is interesting as online casinos are online legal in 6 states, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. If online casinos become more widely accepted it could be massive for the casino industry and the economy of the US as fans of casinos throughout America will rush to play roulette, blackjack or keno for real money and from the comfort of their own homes. This could result in online casinos, like Time2Play, making more money but also result in more Americans having casino winnings in their banking accounts.

With this in mind, let's take a look at the history of Trump and how affixation on casinos and if the laws will change during his presidency. 

History of Trump & Casinos

The current POTUS’s involvement in the casino industry started in the 1980s. That is when he expanded his real estate ventures into Atlantic City, NJ. In 1984, he opened his first casino, Harrah's at Trump Plaza, in partnership with Harrah's. It was the gaming unit of the Holiday Inn. Trump later bought out Harrah's portion and renamed it the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.

Year-wise Trump’s Involvement in the Casino Industry:

• 1980s: Entered Atlantic City real estate, setting the stage for a casino revolution.

• 1984: He opened his first casino, Harrah’s at Trump Plaza, in partnership with Harrah’s, which was later rebranded as Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.

• 1985: Acquired the unfinished Atlantic City Hilton property, launched as Trump’s Castle Hotel Casino, later renamed Trump Marina.

• 1990: He purchased the unfinished Taj Mahal property; by 1990, he opened one of the world’s largest casinos at nearly $1 billion.

• 1991: Trump Taj Mahal filed for bankruptcy in 1991, with Trump Plaza and Trump’s Castle following in 1992.

• 1995: Consolidated holdings into Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts in 1995 but continued to experience financial setbacks.

• 2010: By this time, all Atlantic City casinos had closed or been sold, marking the end of an era.

• After 2014: The Plaza, named after the current POTUS, was closed in 2014 (demolished in 2021,) and the Trump Taj Mahal closed in 2016, later reopening as Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City in 2018.

Current Scenario of Casinos in the USA

Gambling is a very big and diverse industry in the US, and according to Statista, the national commercial Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached 66.65 billion dollars in 2023. Even with such a big revenue coming in every year, casinos are not legal everywhere in the country. Specific states and cities in the USA have boards which regulate and license gaming houses. 

Currently, only six states permit online casino gambling, while nearly 40 have legalized online sports betting. Thus, there is a big potential which is yet to be tapped, which can inject new life into the US economy, which is slowly falling behind China. With the coronation of the new POTUS, it is expected that the US economy will be boosted by the help of casinos under Trump's leadership. 

What is the New POTUS Signaling?

President Donald Trump's return to office in 2025 will significantly impact the casino industry in the country, especially with the POTUS's long history with this industry. The experts and leaders are optimistic about the legalisation and expansion of online casinos. Trump sent affirmative responses shortly after his inauguration. He visited the Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. 

According to several new reports, Bill Miller, the American Gaming Association (AGA) president and CEO, highlighted the importance of revising tax policies to benefit the industry and its workforce. He mentioned eliminating the federal sports betting excise tax and raising the slot tax threshold. He also hopes that the new POTUS will help achieve this. 

Therefore, it is expected that real-money online gaming lovers will soon be able to play their favourite games.