AC Casino Study Centers On What Millennials Want
by KYW's David Madden
GALLOWAY, NJ (CBS) -- A new study suggests ways in which Atlantic City can attract more millennials to stay and play.
Four casinos (Harrah's, Resorts, Tropicana and the Borgata along with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority) footed the bill for Stockton University's Levinson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism to look into what millennials like and don't like.
Assistant Professor Jane Bokunewicz says Atlantic City's got one thing right by offering more options away from the casino. "It looks like the millennials are more interested in non-gaming attractions like the nightclubs, bars, restaurants, things like that than they are in gaming," she told KYW Newsradio.
Their spending reflects that. But those who do like gambling prefer the tables, because they require a certain amount of skill.
"People who are used to video games and the different technology of today, they think the slot machines are boring," she said. "So they'd like an element of skill similar to a video game."
And that want to interact more with other players.
Bokunewicz says slot machine manufacturers are working on developing games that will, sooner rather than later, give the millennials the experience they want.
500 people from 22 states were interviewed for the survey, with 65% of them millennials. Most of the respondents live in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.