New Jersey gambling revenue rises 8% in July, but in-person casino win still lags

New Jersey's casinos, racetracks, and online partners saw an 8.2% rise in total gaming revenue in July compared to the same period last year, despite a continued dip in in-person casino winnings, according to figures released on Friday by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement.

The total gaming revenue for July reached $547.8 million, marking the highest revenue for the month in over a decade, driven by near-record internet gaming wins and robust sports wagering figures.

“The diversity of gaming options and the strength of New Jersey’s online casinos continue to provide resilience in a highly competitive marketplace — not only for the benefit of the gaming industry, but also for the economy of the city, the region, and the state,” said James Plousis, chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. 

However, the positive trend in overall revenue did not extend to the state's brick-and-mortar casinos, which recorded a more than 6% decline in gross gaming revenue compared to the same period last year. The July 2024 in-person casino revenue stood at $272.3 million, only slightly behind July 2019’s $277.2 million, according to industry analysts.

“While many were hopeful that the summer of 2024 for Atlantic City casinos would see a rebound in drive-in visitors after last year’s trend of people taking their ‘dream vacation’ and flying to destinations, the July in-person gaming numbers suggest that is not the case,” said Jane Bokunewicz, director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University.

Plousis noted that brick-and-mortar gaming revenue for July 2024 ranked as the fifth-highest for the month in 11 years, but pointed to fewer weekend days on the calendar this July as a factor affecting casino performance.

Bokunewicz also cited changes in travel habits, highlighting that record-high air travel volumes across the U.S. might be diverting visitors away from drive-to destinations like Atlantic City.

This shift likely marks a reversal of recent trends where post-pandemic reluctance to fly boosted drive-to destinations like Atlantic City, increasing its revenues in 2023 and 2022, she added.