Defiant gamblers return to Atlantic City as 10 out of 12 casinos open for first time since Sandy struck

• It is only the fourth shutdown in the 34 years that New Jersey has had casinos
• The Golden Nugget reopened just 90 minutes after Governor Chris Christie rescinded order that closed casinos
• Business has been described as 'surprisingly strong'
  

By David Mccormack

PUBLISHED: 14:01 EST, 2 November 2012 | UPDATED: 17:32 EST, 2 November 2012

All but two casinos in Atlantic City are back in business after a near five-day shutdown for Superstorm Sandy and despite much of the city remaining without power. 

Governor Chris Christie announced at 10am Friday that he was rescinding an order that had closed the casinos in preparation for Sandy, while also lifting the mandatory evacuation order for Atlantic City residents.

The Golden Nugget moved quickly to start recouping its losses, opening 90 minutes after the governor's order. Nine others prepared to open later in the day as the struggling gambling industry scrambled to restart after a second forced shutdown in two years.

Atlantic City was in the direct line of Sandy's path and suffered mass devastation from the rising sea swell and rapid winds

Golden Nugget general manager Tom Pohlman has described business as ‘surprisingly strong’ and said there were lines prior to opening for the slot machines and the buffet. 

Collectively, Atlantic City’s 12 casinos are estimated to have lost about $5million each day in gambling revenue.

The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, the Tropicana Casino and Resort and the two Trump casinos planned to open late this afternoon.

Of the remaining two casinos, Revel plans to open at noon Saturday and the Atlantic Club on Monday.

Among the first customers at Golden Nugget was 63-year-old Joyce Dean, who lives in Atlantic City. ‘I was cooped up with my sister,’ she said. ‘I'm so happy to get out and resume my daily visit to Golden Nugget.’

The Golden Nugget Atlantic City, shown here in January, has been reopened

Pohlman said he understands that some gamblers are more focused on recovery than diversions. But he said reopening will help employees.

'We employ a large majority of the people that live in Atlantic City and surrounding barrier islands,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately, our people don't get paid if they don't work.’

The Division of Gaming Enforcement has assigned investigators and personnel to each casino to ensure compliance with safety procedures.

‘The Director has indicated that a complete review and assessment of the status and condition of each casino property, including the casino floors, its equipment, surveillance, security and gaming related computer systems have been completed,’ said Governor Christie.

On Thursday, Christie had said that although Atlantic City's 12 casinos all had electricity, they wouldn’t be allowed to reopen until drinking water in the city was found to be safe and power restored to the rest of the city.

The casinos are scrambling to arrange to bring employees into the city that has been shut down since Sunday.

Casino Pier earlier this week, pictured in the wake of Hurricane Sandy

Resorts Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City's first casino, which opened Memorial Day 1978. It was only the fourth shutdown in the 34 years that New Jersey has had casinos.

Atlantic City was in the direct line of Sandy’s path and suffered mass devastation from the rising sea swell and rapid winds.

Now it's reopening, traffic congestion could be a major problem.

The storm made landfall with hurricane force winds just a few miles from Atlantic City on Monday.

The city was flooded and an old section of its famous boardwalk - the nation's first - was wrecked in the storm, though other parts of New Jersey's coast were hit even harder. 

Willie Glass, the city's public safety director, said: 'The city's basically flooded. Most of the city is under water.' 

It was only the fourth shutdown in the 34 years that New Jersey has had casinos. 

Last year, casinos were closed when Tropical Storm Irene hit the coast. That three-day shutdown, which came on a busy summer weekend, cost the city $45million in lost business.

The only other closures were for Hurricane Gloria in 1985 and a state government shutdown in 2006.

The casinos have been on a losing streak over the last several years during a sour economy and because of increased competition from neighboring states.