The gambling world's big winners of 2011

ANOTHER YEAR is ending with the region's two gaming jurisdictions still headed in opposite directions.

As Pennsylvania's casino industry continued its "rush" (as they say about hot players at the poker tables), Atlantic City's financial slide hit five years, with at least one survey suggesting revenue will continue to shrink through 2015. But say what you will about the East's original legal gambling kingdom, things are seldom dull in the beleaguered seaside entertainment capital.

Interestingly, AyCee's two biggest stories of 2011 were both forward-looking and optimistic in nature.

Key parts of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's master plan to revive the city were put into motion this year. What may prove to be most crucial was the transferring of $30 million in what were annual horse-racing subsidies to a new marketing entity called the Atlantic City Alliance. The alliance will operate under the guidance of Liza Cartmell, a former Aramark marketing honcho who recently became the organization's CEO. The town's promotional efforts have long been criminally underfunded; the money could be a game-changer.

And there's no denying the importance of the resurrection of the Revel project on the eastern end of the Boardwalk. Thanks to an infusion of $1 billion and a highly favorable - if controversial - tax-break plan provided by the state, what looked all but dead this time last year is slated to open no later than mid-May. While the Revel is certain to hurt its Atlantic City competitors to some degree, the hope among industry officials is that the mega resort will expand the market by enticing people who have avoided the city for one reason or another.

For gaming halls west of the Delaware River, it was another year of impressive growth. Last month, the revenue at Pennsylvania's 11 properties surpassed that of Atlantic City's 11 casinos for the first time ($245.8 million to $248.1 million).

Here's a look at other aspects of the year in local gaming:

Casino of the Year