Operator News
US – Atlantic City secures second-best May in nine years
By Phil - 21 June 2023
New Jersey’s casinos, horse tracks, sports betting operators and online gaming generated $471m in May, up 9.4 per cent from a year ago, making it Atlantic City’s second best ever May.
Revenue from in-person gamblers dropped by 2.4 per cent from a year ago, to $227.3m with only three casinos; Borgata, Hard Rock and Ocean taking more money from in-person gamblers in May than in May 2019.
In terms of in-person casino winnings, internet and sports betting winnings, the Borgata generated $111m in May, a fall of just one per cent from a year ago. Golden Nugget generated $56.2m, an increase of 18.2 per cent. Hard Rock brought in $48.1m, a fall of almost one per cent. Ocean took $33.5m, up 21.3 per cent. Tropicana generated $33.7m, up 9.3 per cent. Bally’s brought in $20.1m, an increase of almost 20 per cent. Harrah’s generated $19.1m, a fall of 10.3 per cent. Caesars generated $18.4, down 9.5 per cent and Resorts won $13.6m, down 2.5 per cent.
Resorts Digital, the online division of Resorts casino, generated $60.6m in revenue, an increase of 48 per cent from a year ago. Caesars Interactive NJ was down 14 per cent at $8.3m.
Sportsbetting came in at $779m whilst online gambling generated internet gambling brought in $161.4m in May, an increase of 18.7 per cent from a year earlier.
Jane Bokunewicz, director of the Lloyd Levenson Institute at Stockton University, said: “This is the continuation of a return to pre-pandemic levels, but not the amount of growth many may have hoped to see from this sector. Traditional gaming products like slots and table games are not growing as quickly as newer products, for example, online slots and mobile sports betting. This hints at a lasting change in consumer behavior as casino patrons have made these newer products part of their regular casino experience.”
James Plousis, Chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, added: “While most of the casinos won less at the gaming tables and slot machines, it was still Atlantic City’s second-best May in nine years. This year, Atlantic City’s total gaming revenue reached $2bn faster than any other year in the past decade.”
