State to Close Casinos if Budget Negotiations Fail

As the state government shutdown threatened to close Atlantic City’s casinos, Gov. Jon Corzine said state lawmakers must report to the statehouse in Trenton today and stay until they adopt a budget.

Corzine called for a special session of the Legislature after negotiations with opponents of his proposed sales tax increase failed yet again.

Barring a breakthrough, the state planned to force the 12 casinos to stop taking bets as of 8 a.m. Wednesday because they cannot operate without state gambling monitors, and those workers are not deemed “essential” employees who are paid during a government shutdown.