Even as Atlantic City casinos prepare for better times, a quarter of the workforce in the region still remains jobless. The gambling hub of the East Coast and New Jersey suffered extensively because of the pandemic.

Atlantic City tries to get back

The city’s casinos are trying to bring back their former glory with a restricted number of people and staff. Regulators suggest that the pandemic has left at least 25% of the workforce still waiting to be called back on the job. It is likely that they will remain unemployed for a long.

According to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), on the first of September, 22,352 people were called back to their regular jobs in nine of the city’s casinos. That is a 21.8% drop compared to last year. The fall and winter months are generally slow for casinos in New Jersey and given how the pandemic has affected business, it is unlikely that the rest of the workforce will get a callback. Several casinos are expecting a long slowdown and have relieved 2,528 employees in July and August. The overall workforce in Atlantic City has now down by a further 10%.

The Borgata could have it tougher

The Press of Atlantic City reported earlier that the Borgata could be one of the worst-hit casinos in the city. The casino has nongaming amenities that continue to suffer the aftereffects of the coronavirus. The casino has a bigger nongaming footprint compared to its peers. The food and beverage jobs and convention jobs would be vulnerable at this time.

Indoor dining was allowed in New Jersey starting September 4 after 172 days of suspension. That was enough to create grave troubles for dining facilities and restaurants, within and outside casinos. The facilities are only allowed to operate at 25% of their normal capacity which may not be enough to keep the lights on at some places.