iGaming Returns AC Casinos to First Growth Since 2006

New Jersey’s casino industry has just broken a 10 year losing streak after posting a moderate 1.5% increase in revenues for 2016. All told, Atlantic City’s seven casinos generated gambling revenues of $2.6 billion last year, representing its first growth since 2006 when its then 12 casinos hit an all-time revenue peak of $5.2 billion before slipping into the mire.
New Jersey ended 2016 on an impressive note, with December’s casino revenues jumping by 8.5% to $208.1 million. The numbers were helped along by New Year’s Eve falling on a Saturday night last year, although undoubtedly online gambling revenues of $18.4 million helped lift the market, as it was not only 31% higher than the same month in 2016, but also smashed the previous record set last July by more than $1 million.
Overall, New Jersey’s online gambling revenues came in at $196.7 million in 2016, up by 32% compared to 2015. From that tally, casino games generated 36% more revenues at $170.2 million, while even poker noted an 11% increase to $26.5 million.
Online Gambling Revenues:
2016: $196.7m
2015: $148.9m
2014: $122.9m
2013: $8.4m
iGaming Operators (2016):
Borgata: $47m
Golden Nugget: $42.2m
Caesars: $38.6m
Tropicana: $36.9m
Resorts: $31.7m
New Jersey’s land-based casinos generated $2.4 billion in 2016, not including iGaming, and despite currently representing just 8% of the state’s total gambling revenues, without the vertical the market would have suffered a 0.3% year-on-year decline. Commenting on the role online gambling has played in lifting New Jersey’s casino market to its first revenue uptick in a decade, Professor Donald Hoover of Fairleigh Dickinson University, explained:
“Online gaming has absolutely helped Atlantic City. It’s not even that I’m a proponent of it but in a regulated environment, it’s absolutely helpful.”
In the meantime, the USA’s second biggest market, Pennsylvania, is predicting a 1% revenue increase to $3.2 billion for 2016, while the country’s biggest casino market, Nevada, has already reported similarly positive news with the Silver State turning its first profit since 2008, albeit with “room rentals and fees” helping the market to grow.


Poker News
west virginia online poker
14 Mar 2019
Online gambling could soon be legal in West Virginia as long as the state’s Governor doesn’t decide to throw a last-minute wrench into the process. House Bill 2934, which would legalize all forms on online gambling in the state, including online poker and casino gaming, passed a vote in the Senate earlier this week. The
Switzerland Prepares For June 10th Legalized iGambling Referendum
04 Jun 2018
On June 10th, Switzerland will hold a national referendum to decide whether the ‘Money Gaming Act’ passed by the Swiss Parliament in September 2017 can be implemented next year in its present form. The piece of legislation paves the way for land-based casinos and local partners to offer legalized online gambling in Switzerland, although a
Spanish Online Poker Revenue Jumps 27% in Q1
03 Jun 2018
In January, Spain and France started pooling their online poker players in an attempt to revive an industry decimated by the ring-fenced policies adopted by their respective governments. If they were ever in any doubt as to the validity of their move, the results for the first three months of 2018 will certainly have allayed
Japan Introduces Responsible Gambling Bill
28 May 2018
Japan’s bicameral legislature, known as The National Diet, consists of an upper House of Councillors and a lower House of Representatives, with the latter having started discussing the Integrated Resorts Implementation Bill last week. Being debated is the regulatory framework required in order to set up an efficient and well functioning casino market in the