• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
LeadershipDonald Trump

Donald Trump May Be Returning to the Casino Business

By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 26, 2016, 1:05 PM ET
APTOPIX GOP 2016 Trump
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives for a caucus night rally Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Photograph by Jae C. Hong — AP

As he continues to lead the pack for the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump may be getting back into the business of gambling.

Trump’s longtime friend and Las Vegas casino owner Phil Ruffin told the Wall Street Journal that he hopes to build a casino to go alongside the real estate mogul’s Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.

Ruffin told the Journal that the plans are still in a very early stage, although he expects efforts to pick up over 2016. Additionally, he said that the Trump Organization would be a 50% owner.

Eric Trump, Donald Trump’s son who is running the family’s hotel business, told the Journal that he supported Ruffin’s plans. “If he wanted to do [the casino], we would certainly do it,” Eric Trump said. “[Ruffin] is one of our closest friends. We’re almost inseparable.”

The Trump Hotel reportedly cost $800 million to build and opened in 2008. The proposed casino would go on the site of a parking lot used by the hotel, and the buildings would connect, Ruffin told the Journal.

A potential return to the casino business for Trump comes after a number of failed attempts in Atlantic City over the last few decades. His casinos in New Jersey went bankrupt four times, the Journal reported. Trump is no longer involved with them.

Fortune has reached out to the Trump Organization for comment and will update this story if they respond.

About the Author
By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Success
Even with $850 billion to his name, Elon Musk admits ‘money can’t buy happiness.’ But billionaire Mark Cuban says it’s not so simple
By Preston ForeFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Gen Z Patriots quarterback Drake Maye still drives a 2015 pickup truck even after it broke down on the highway—despite his $37 million contract
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 7, 2026
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nestlé’s CEO drinks 8 coffees a day, but says Gen Z staffers are his secret to staying sharp by ‘learning constantly’
By Emma BurleighFebruary 5, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Larry Ellison and Jeff Bezos have seen more than $66 billion swiped from their net worths since the start of this year as AI-driven slump sees tech billionaires’ wealth free-fall
By Emma BurleighFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of February 6, 2026
By Danny BakstFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Crypto
Bitcoin whales and ETFs are bailing out of the market; UBS warns: ‘Crypto is not an asset’
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago

Latest in Leadership

EconomyFintech
Dorsey’s Block cutting up to 10% of staff in efficiency push
By Natasha Mascarenhas, Emily Mason and BloombergFebruary 7, 2026
9 hours ago
Economyconstruction
The U.S. construction industry’s need for labor is soaring and will need half a million new workers next year while AI giants ramp up spending
By Jason MaFebruary 7, 2026
11 hours ago
Future of Workthe future of work
Anthropic cofounder says studying the humanities will be ‘more important than ever’ and reveals what the AI company looks for when hiring
By Jason MaFebruary 7, 2026
15 hours ago
AIMark Cuban
AI can make anyone rich: Mark Cuban says it could turn ‘just one dude in a basement’ into a trillionaire
By Sydney LakeFebruary 7, 2026
17 hours ago
giannis
BankingSports
NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo gets in bed with sports gambling as a Kalshi shareholder
By Jay Cohen and The Associated PressFebruary 7, 2026
17 hours ago
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky
Successchief executive officer (CEO)
Airbnb’s Brian Chesky says CEOs don’t have to be ‘miserable’—that’s why he got rid of emails and banned meetings before 10 a.m.
By Emma BurleighFebruary 7, 2026
17 hours ago