New Jersey's Atlantic City, long renowned as the gambling hub of the US east coast, started the year with 12 casinos. But by the end of September, it will only have eight. Casino gambling was legalised in the city in the 1970s, triggering a boom that saw Atlantic City's casino revenue reach $5.2bn in 2006. The last eight years have seen revenue half, however, as the city struggles to maintain its grip on gamblers.



Around 6,000 casino workers are set to lose their jobs as a result of the crisis, which saw Showboat Atlantic City shut over the Labor Day weekend, and Revel – the city's newest and most expensive casino – close on 2 September. With New Jersey governor Chris Christie recently announcing a summit of New Jersey leaders to address Atlantic City's future, the Guardian's Ana Terra Athayde went to explore the decline of the city's casinos