Atlantic City's Surprising In-Person Casino Surge

Key Takeaways:

• Atlantic City casinos saw a 2.6% increase in in-person gambling revenue in January
• Overall gambling revenue declined by nearly 1% when including online and sports betting
• Internet gambling revenue exceeded $200 million for the fifth consecutive month

Atlantic City's brick-and-mortar casinos defied expectations in January, posting a 2.6% increase in revenue from in-person gamblers despite an overall decline in total gambling revenue. This unusual trend bucks the typical pattern seen in recent months.

According to figures released by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the nine casinos collectively won $210.1 million from in-person customers in January, up from $204.7 million a year ago. However, when factoring in internet gambling and sports betting, the total revenue for casinos, horse tracks, and their online partners dipped to $553.9 million, a decrease of just under 1% compared to January 2023.

Jane Bokunewicz, director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University, noted the resilience of brick-and-mortar gaming. "While internet gaming again surpassed brick-and-mortar for total gaming revenue, brick-and-mortar still realized a year-over-year increase in January, despite harsher winter weather than we've seen recently," she said.

Internet gambling continued its strong performance, bringing in $221.6 million for casinos and their partners, a nearly 21% increase from the previous year. This marks the fifth consecutive month that online gambling revenue has exceeded $200 million.

Sports betting, however, saw a decline, with revenue dropping over 28% to $122.2 million in January. A total of $1.15 billion worth of sports bets were placed in New Jersey during the month.

Individual casino performances varied, with some seeing significant gains and others experiencing declines. Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa led the pack with $60.3 million in in-person winnings, up 4.7% from last year. Ocean Casino Resort and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City also posted gains, while others like Caesars Atlantic City and Golden Nugget Atlantic City saw decreases.

The shift in revenue patterns highlights the evolving landscape of gambling in Atlantic City, with online platforms continuing to gain traction while traditional casinos work to maintain their appeal to in-person visitors.