Interactive
US – Report on New Jersey sweeps aside online myths
By Phil - 2 May 2017
New Jersey has enjoyed a windfall of new tax revenue, Atlantic City has been revitalised, and the regulatory system has been proven a success since the state legalised and regulated online gambling in 2013, according to a new report called Regulated Online Gambling: Building A Stronger New Jersey.
Carried out by NJOnlineCasinos.com, the report debunks many of the myths that opponents have used to argue against regulated online gambling — details the overwhelmingly positive data from legalization of online gambling in New Jersey.
The benefits include $536.62m in total new revenue for casino operators, $93.91m in direct tax revenue for the state, more than 3,300 jobs created or supported, and successful implementation of consumer-protection regulations.
“Sweep aside the misinformation spread by agenda-driven critics and a clear picture emerges: Regulated online gambling in New Jersey has been a definitive win for casinos, consumers, and the state,” said Chris Grove, a Las Vegas-based gambling industry expert who authored the report.
“Any state looking to New Jersey can draw three clear lessons,” Grove added. “First, regulation works. Second, there is a massive consumer demand for online products. Finally, online gambling supports the health and long-term viability of land-based casinos.”
Legalized online gambling has been a boon for Atlantic City. In 2016, the iconic destination posted its first year-over-year increase in gambling revenue in 10 years.
Three Atlantic City casinos have confirmed that at least 80 percent of their online players have been new patrons, dispatching fears that regulated online gambling siphons revenue from land-based casinos, an argument regularly employed by opponents of legal online gambling.
“Hard data from the Borgata, Caesars, and the Golden Nugget has demolished any doubt,” Grove said. “Online customers are new customers, and generate new revenue for casinos. These customers are critical to the turnaround starting to take hold in Atlantic City.”
