The   land casinos around the world have suffered tremendous losses in volume due to the economic recession.  The worldwide recession has greatly reduced the disposable incomes of people who had used this money to go on casino junkets to their favourite casino hot spots.  This, unfortunately, is no longer the case, and land casino establishments and mega companies are at wits end to survive.

If you visit a land casino soon, you will notice a palpable unrest in the air.  On a recent holiday weekend at a popular casino resort in Atlantic City, one could read an underlying fear in the eyes of the employees.  The buffet room, which serves excellent food, was nearly empty on a Saturday morning.  This would never have been the case a few years ago.  One employee reported that the "casino was dying" this winter.

Dire straits demand dire measures.  In the 1960’s, the American Tobacco Company began a new advertising campaign for one of its brands, Tareyton.  In the commercials, Tareyton smokers would be depicted with black eyes, and would be saying that they "would rather fight than switch" cigarette brands.  Anyway, this slogan remained part of the Tareyton ad campaign until the brand was phased out in 1981.

It seems that the land casino industry has revived the old Tareyton advertising cry, and has adapted its appeal into a new marketing strategy in an attempt to save the industry.  Only last week, the State of New Jersey introduced legislation that would allow Internet wagering at all casinos in Atlantic City.  The bill would allow New Jersey residents the ability to place wagers on casino games through the auspices of the Internet.  The bill would not restrict any particular game; however, it would require that equipment that is used to operate Internet gambling be located within a restricted area of the casino hotel or in a secure facility off the premises of the casino but within the geographical parameters of Atlantic City.

Included in this piece of legislation is an annual tax of 20% on gross revenues derived from Internet wagering, which would greatly improve the financial picture of the State of New Jersey, presently on the precipice of bankruptcy.  The bill would also provide for the establishment of a Division of Internet Wagering, which will fall under the direction of the New Jersey State Casino Control Commission. 

It appears that the land casino industry has finally met its match, and is now willing to "switch rather than fight" in order to salvage its faltering industry.