The gambling industry has lost one of its pioneers with the death of Steve Norton at the age of 89 on November 12. He is said to be the first to operate a casino outside the state of Nevada, opening the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1978.
Considered a giant in the industry, Norton has spent more than five decades in gaming and casino management. he is too I worked on expanding games to other parts of the country and helped found the New Jersey Casino Association and the American Gaming Association.
“Steve was an early and influential gaming executive in Atlantic City and at the Resorts,” Resorts President Mark Giannantonio said. News agency. “He was an important leader in the Atlantic City market dating back to the 1970s. It was always a pleasure to speak with him over the years, and he was a true gentleman in our business.”
Addition of casinos in Atlantic City
When the resorts debuted on May 26, 1978, Norton oversaw a huge turnout as gamblers on the East Coast hoped to take advantage of the new casino option not only locally, but as the first full casino option outside of Las Vegas and Reno. More casinos will open in Atlantic City in the coming years, but the first day saw a mad rush of people just hoping to get inside.
“It was unbelievable, it was a madhouse,” Norton told the AP last year. “There were so many cigarettes out on the floor, it wasn’t long until you couldn’t tell what color the carpet was.”
Leader in the casino industry. Name
Prior to Resorts, Norton worked at hotels in the Bahamas before moving into gaming with Sands Corp. And other companies working in this field. In the 1990s he also worked as a consultant to expand riverboat gambling throughout the South and other regions.
Norton’s work has also reached outside the United States in Singapore, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Andorra, and more to help establish casinos. Throughout these efforts, problematic games have always been a focus as well, according to his son Rob, who is now president of Cordish Gaming.
“He recognized early on that the biggest threat to growth in the industry was the issue of problematic gaming, so he led the charge in changing the way the industry addresses this critical issue and helped create the first programs that embraced education, recognition and expertise,” he said. and cure disease.”
Rob Norton said that his father died after an accident at his home in Oceanport, California. He leaves behind six children. This is the second major death in the industry recently following the death of Don Laughlin in October.
