ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - More than 14,000 casino hotel workers went on strike early today after contract talks broke down, setting the stage for a disruptive walkout likely to inconvenience thousands of gamblers, visitors and Miss America Pageant contestants and fans.

Workers were striking against the Atlantic City Hilton, Tropicana Casino Resort, Bally's Park Place, Caesars Atlantic City Hotel Casino, the Sands Hotel Casino, Resorts Atlantic City, Trump Plaza, Trump Marina and Trump Taj Mahal.

Carrying pickets and signs, raucous union members set up picket lines at casino entrances and rallied on the Boardwalk shouting ''No contract, no peace'' and ''Hey, hey, ho, ho, subcontracting must go.''

A five-year contract between Local 54 of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees International and nine of the 12 casinos expired at midnight Tuesday.

Casinos are expected to close some of their restaurants and use nonunion employees to cope with the walkout. The casinos employ 40,000 to 50,000 people, but not all are union members.

Union members said they were happy with the contract, but could not sign it as long as it allowed the casinos to continue using subcontractors who did not pay the union wage.

Casino labor counsel Jerold Glassman said the casinos would remain open and operating during the strike, and work would be available for those who wanted it.

The strike comes as the city gears up for the 79th annual Miss America Pageant, set for Saturday. The contestants, their chaperones and hundreds of fans and other pageant-related guests are staying in the affected hotels.