DOVER — Bally’s Dover Casino and Resort has returned to 24/7 operations after a hiatus, hiring several new employees to meet the demand.
Delaware’s largest casino announced it returned to all-day opening hours earlier this month. Right now, the all-day play is limited to slot and table games, although its Best Odds Coffee & Quick Bites cafe is open for grab and go items.
Over the second quarter and early July, Bally’s Dover has hired up to 140 team members across all departments to support the hour change. The casino had offered some round-the-clock games until March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the state to close many businesses temporarily.
“Most retail casinos are on a 24/7 basis and we’re happy to bring those hours back to Delaware,” said Nick Polcino, the Vice President and General Manager Bally’s Dover Casino Resort. “We chose to bring back part of this business to further enhance our customer gaming options and experience.”
With more operational hours, Bally’s Dover hopes to boost revenues in the First State where there are only three casinos but heavy competition from online sports betting. At the end of Fiscal Year 2024, the casino saw $1.7 million in games played on video slot machines, although it’s share is only 42% of that profit, per the regulations from the Delaware State Lottery Office.
The gaming destination connected to the Dover Motor Speedway off the U.S. Route 13 was acquired by publicly traded Bally’s Corp. in 2019. The 500-room hotel and the casino date back to 2002, but while its roots in harness racing trace back even further to 1969.
Bally’s rebranded the casino back in 2021, right around the time the company acquired two casinos and resorts in Lake Tahoe, Nev. and Indiana. In the past four years since, the company has added four new casinos to its portfolio in Chicago, Las Vegas and New York.
As Bally’s Dover returns to 24/7 gaming, it joins at least three other casinos in the company’s network, including its first casino in Rhode Island. Last December, Bally’s instituted the policy at its $1.74 billion casino in Chicago.
