Atlantic City Casinos Hit by Power Cut

A number of Boardwalk casinos in Atlantic City found themselves in the dark quite literally after a power cut on Sunday. The outage was caused by a lightning storm which hit the power line in the early hours, leaving the casino completely without both light and power.

Around 9400 players are believed to have been affected by the power cut, with many stranded in the casinos in areas such as elevators while they waited for the electricity to return.

Fire Services Stretched to Capacity 

The players whose slot machines suddenly went dark in the middle of their game were understandably frustrated with the sudden loss of power but for chiefs, the main concern was reaching anyone stranded.

A number of people around the city were left stranded, including at the casinos, leaving the fire department stretched beyond their capacity as they responded to the calls which came pouring in.

One casino was able to rescue a trapped customer from its elevator using its own facilities staff on-site but four other casinos were forced to call the fire service for assistance. The Borgata, Bally’s, Resorts Casino Hotel and Ocean Casino Resort all needed help to retrieve customers who got stuck in the elevator in the dark.

The New Jersey State Police, who have jurisdiction for the casino, said they did not receive any requests for assistance during the power cut.

It is believed that the lightning strike hit Ocean Casino Resort directly, with three separate fire crews sent to the location as a result.

No Loss to Players 

Atlantic City Electric confirmed that the power outage lasted approximately four and a half hours in total before it could restore electricity supplies to the area, including the casino.

Despite the prolonged loss of electricity, players did not lose any money on the slot machines and other electric casino games. Gambling machines at major outlets such as casinos have a back-up battery as a source of power so that even if the main electricity goes off, the electricity supply is rapidly restored.

As an additional measure, all play on the casino machines is also recorded, enabling patrons to claim a refund if needed. One player on the Gold Nugget machine confirmed that she was given a credit slip by the attendant which she was able to cash in before leaving.

Social media was full of accounts from players who were in the casinos when the power outage hit, and many of them continued to play in the subdued lighting with back-up power running the machines. The atmosphere was described alternately as “cool” and “creepy” but overall, players appear to have taken the power cut in good humour with no complaints.