Resorts Casino Hotel is where legal casino gambling on the East Coast began. It opened on May 26, 1978, as the first legal casino in the United States outside Nevada, and it still sits on the same stretch of Boardwalk at North Carolina Avenue. It is one of the smaller properties in town, with 942 rooms and an 80,000-square-foot casino, but its license is one of the biggest in New Jersey online gambling.
Resorts is owned by Morris Bailey’s DGMB Casino group. The Mohegan Tribe managed it from 2012 to the end of 2024 and kept a 10% ownership stake when it stepped back. Resorts now runs on its own, led by president and CEO Mark Giannantonio.
A long history on the Boardwalk
The site has been a hotel since the 1860s. The Chalfonte House opened in 1868 and the Haddon House across the street a year later. Both were rebuilt in the early 1900s and later merged into the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall, a 1,000-room complex. During World War II the US military took it over as Thomas England General Hospital.
Resorts International bought the property in 1976 and backed that November’s casino referendum. When the casino opened in 1978 it had 84 table games and 893 slot machines in about 33,700 square feet. The Rendezvous Tower replaced an older wing in 2004. Dennis Gomes and Morris Bailey bought the property in 2010, and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and LandShark Bar & Grill opened in 2013.
Hotel
The 942 rooms and suites are split between two towers:
- Rendezvous Tower: the newer tower, closest to the casino floor and the Boardwalk.
- Ocean Tower: deluxe rooms and suites with ocean views. The pool is in this tower.
The Coral Suite is the resort’s junior suite.
Casino
The casino floor covers 80,000 square feet, with slots, table games, electronic table games and an Asian gaming area. Links Lounge is the high-end slot area. Resorts does not have a poker room. For live poker on the Boardwalk, go to Tropicana.
Star Card is the loyalty program. Tiers run from Premiere through Epic, Paramount, Paramount Plus and Red Carpet, and higher tiers get free parking and valet.
Sportsbook
The DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts opened in 2018 and covers 5,000 square feet just off the Boardwalk, next to the EastWind restaurant. It has LED video walls, including a 15-foot screen, betting windows, VIP seating and kiosks that run 24 hours.
Resorts was also the first Atlantic City casino to take online sports bets, through DraftKings, in August 2018.
Online casino and sportsbook partners
Resorts is a much bigger business online than on its casino floor. In 2025 its internet gaming license won $654.6 million, third among New Jersey licensees, against $159.9 million on the floor, which ranked seventh of the nine casinos. Brands under its license as of 2026 include:
- DraftKings: online casino and sportsbook. See our DraftKings Casino review and DraftKings Sportsbook review.
- Resorts Casino, the resort’s own site. See our Resorts online casino review.
- Mohegan Sun Casino. See our Mohegan Sun Casino review.
- PokerStars. See our PokerStars review.
Restaurants and bars
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Fine dining | Capriccio (Italian), Dougherty’s Steakhouse & Raw Bar, Mukashi Sushi Bar, EastWind (Chinese) |
| Casual | Margaritaville, LandShark Bar & Grill, Breadsticks Cafe, Dougherty’s Raw Bar, Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy! |
| Food court | Dunkin’, Ruby’s Dinette, Bubbakoo’s Burritos, Famiglia Pizza, Soup Man, Häagen-Dazs |
Capriccio has ocean views and added a brunch with a DJ in 2026. LandShark sits on the beach itself.
The bars include Bar One, Cielo Wine Bar at the entrance to Capriccio, 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar, Wet Willie’s and Maya, a newer outdoor Boardwalk bar serving cocktails and tapas.
Entertainment
Resorts has two theaters. The Superstar Theater hosts headliners and tribute shows, and the Screening Room runs smaller productions. The Starlight Ballroom is used for events and parties, and Bar One has live entertainment and DJs. In summer, Resorts and the North Beach neighborhood stage fireworks and beach concerts.
Spa, pool and meetings
The Spa & Health Club and Bliss Salon handle treatments, and the indoor-outdoor pool is in the Ocean Tower. Resorts also books tee times at local golf courses for guests.
The conference center has 64,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Parking and getting there
Resorts is at 1133 Boardwalk, at North Carolina Avenue, next door to Hard Rock. The garage is open 24 hours and payment is cashless. As of 2026, self-parking for visitors without a Star Card is $15 Monday through Thursday and $20 Friday through Sunday, and valet runs $25 to $30. RVs and oversized vehicles are not allowed.
By car, take the Atlantic City Expressway to its end, turn left onto Pacific Avenue and right onto North Carolina Avenue. Without a car, NJ Transit’s Atlantic City Rail Line runs from Philadelphia to the rail terminal by the Convention Center, and the Atlantic City Jitney links the terminal with every casino.
Smoking is allowed in designated areas of the casino floor, as at every Atlantic City casino.
Compare Resorts with the rest of the city in our Atlantic City casinos guide.
21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
FAQ
Was Resorts the first casino in Atlantic City?
Yes. Resorts opened on May 26, 1978, as the first legal casino in the US outside Nevada.
Who owns Resorts Casino Hotel?
DGMB Casino, the company led by owner Morris Bailey. The Mohegan Tribe managed Resorts until the end of 2024 and still holds a 10% stake.
Does Resorts have a poker room?
No. The closest live poker room on the Boardwalk is at Tropicana.
What sportsbook is at Resorts?
DraftKings runs the retail sportsbook at Resorts and also runs its online sportsbook under the Resorts license.
How many rooms does Resorts have?
942 rooms and suites in two towers, the Rendezvous Tower and the Ocean Tower.
Is there a beach bar at Resorts?
Yes. LandShark Bar & Grill is on the sand in front of the resort, part of the Margaritaville complex.