NJ Gaming Revenue Reaches $536M in April, Led by Online Play

April 2024, but more than half of that income originated from online gambling and sports betting—transactions that didn’t require a single visit to Atlantic City.

The growing gap between digital and in-person play is drawing increased attention as Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park.

Internet Gaming and Sportsbooks Now Dominate the Market

Digital channels continued to lead the state’s gaming growth. Internet gaming revenue reached $235.2 million in April, reflecting a 25.2% increase compared to the $187.9 million posted a year ago. Meanwhile, revenue from sports betting totaled $90.5 million, which was down 14.8% year-over-year, but still a significant contributor to overall figures.

The state’s internet gaming win for the year so far stands at $908.4 million—up 21% over the same four-month period in 2024. Online sportsbook operators have taken in $4.2 billion in bets this year to date, though only 9% of that is retained as revenue after payouts and expenses.

FanDuel continued to lead in the online sector, with $52.8 million in internet casino revenue, an increase of more than 35%. DraftKings followed closely with nearly $47 million, marking a 19.5% rise. BetMGM and Borgata posted gains of nearly 28% and 18%, respectively. In online sports betting, FanDuel generated $31.8 million (a 16% drop), DraftKings earned $22.3 million (up 18.3%), and newcomer BetFanatics pulled in $12.9 million in revenue.

In-Person Casino Earnings Decline Despite Few Bright Spots

Traditional in-person gaming continues to fall short of pre-pandemic benchmarks. The nine Atlantic City casinos brought in $211 million from brick-and-mortar gaming in April, a decline of 2.7% compared to the $216.8 million earned in April 2024.

Only three properties—Borgata, Hard Rock, and Ocean—outperformed their in-person earnings from April 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Borgata led with $58.5 million (up 0.3%), followed by Hard Rock at $41.5 million (up 1%), and Ocean with $30.6 million (up 6%).

Other casinos reported losses in this category: Harrah’s earned $16.3 million (down 0.5%), Tropicana $15.7 million (down 11%), Caesars $14.6 million (down 8.6%), Resorts $12.1 million (down 2.2%), Golden Nugget just over $11 million (down 13%), and Bally’s $10.2 million (down nearly 22%).

Jane Bokunewicz, director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University, said the latest numbers marked “some of the worst single month returns in several years” for Atlantic City’s physical casinos. She added, “April continued a worrisome trend for Atlantic City’s brick-and-mortar operators, as internet gaming revenue sured traditional casino revenue for the third time in four months, and the fourth time to date.”

She noted that operators must “continue investing in live events, resort amenities and other activities unique to the Atlantic City experience” in order to attract physical foot traffic even as online gaming remains dominant.

Legislators Revive Push for Casinos Beyond Atlantic City

As internet-based gambling gains more ground and Atlantic City’s visitor-based revenue continues to lag, lawmakers are once again exploring the idea of allowing casino expansion into other parts of New Jersey. Two legislators from northern and central parts of the state introduced a proposal that would put the issue to voters once more. The suggested locations include the Meadowlands near New York City and Monmouth Park near the Jersey Shore.

The push follows long-standing concerns that New York’s casinos could siphon off even more business from AtlanticCity, compounding the shift toward digital gaming options.

Source:

New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Announces April 2025 Total Gaming Revenue Results, njoag.gov, May 16, 2025