Online bets drive New Jersey gambling revenue to $536 million in April, outpacing Atlantic City casinos

New Jersey’s casinos, racetracks, and their online partners posted $536 million in gambling revenue in April, a 5% increase from the same month a year earlier, according to data released by the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement.

But more than half of the revenue came from internet gambling and sports betting, underscoring a long-term trend that continues to weaken Atlantic City’s traditional in-person casino business.

The nine Atlantic City casinos earned $211 million from in-person gamblers in April, down 2.7% from a year earlier. It was the third time in four months — and the fourth time overall — that online gambling revenue surpassed in-person casino earnings, according to industry researchers.

“April continued a worrisome trend for Atlantic City’s brick-and-mortar operators,” said Jane Bokunewicz, director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University. “This emerging dynamic further underlines the importance of operators’ investment in the in-person gaming experience.”
 
Online gambling revenue surged more than 25% year-over-year to exceed $235 million, marking the second-highest month ever for the segment, said James Plousis, chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.

Top online brands included FanDuel, which brought in $52.8 million (+35%), DraftKings with $47 million (+19.5%), and BetMGM at $29.6 million (+28%).

Among Atlantic City’s casinos, Borgata led in in-person revenue at $58.5 million, up 0.3% from April 2024. Hard Rock earned $41.5 million (+1%) and Ocean Casino reported $30.6 million (+6%). Others posted sharp declines, including Bally’s, which fell nearly 22% to $10.2 million.

Meanwhile, sports betting generated $90.5 million in revenue in April, down nearly 15% from a year earlier, despite $994 million in total wagers for the month. Sportsbooks have taken in $4.2 billion in bets since the start of the year.

The state’s evolving gambling landscape also faces looming competition from neighboring New York, which is preparing to license three full-scale casinos in or near New York City.

Amid this pressure, two New Jersey lawmakers last week introduced legislation that would put a public referendum on the ballot to allow casinos outside of Atlantic City — with proposals floated for venues at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford and Monmouth Park in Oceanport.