As five Atlantic City casinos closed from 2014 to 2016, analysts — at least those not intent on writing the resort’s obituary — postulated that the industry was simply “right-sizing” itself. That now appears to be true. Second-quarter financial reports released last week by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement show that, for the third consecutive quarter, gross operating profits at the remaining seven casinos have shown double-digit growth. Gross operating profit over the latest quarter, which ended in June, was 16.2 percent more than in the second quarter of 2016. Furthermore, year-to-date figures show that gross operating profit in the first six months of 2017 is up 20.1 percent, even without the Trump Taj Mahal, which closed in October 2016.
