Atlantic City Struggles Persist, Casino Revenue Down Almost Three Percent in April
The nine casinos in Atlantic City eagerly await summer, as face-to-face gaming remains behind expectations for 2024.
On Friday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement disclosed that the gross gaming revenue (GGR) from physical casinos, representing the money retained by the casinos from their slot machines and table games, was $211 million. That indicated a 2.7% drop from April 2024, a variation of nearly $5.9 million.
Table games saw a decline this month, with dealers retaining under $48.8 million from players' wagers, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of about $9.3 million. Slot revenue increased by 2.1% to reach $162.2 million.
In the first four months of 2025, revenue from Atlantic City casinos is down 2% compared to the same period last year. From January to April 2024, casinos garnered an additional $17.5 million from retail gamblers.
Bookmakers Facing Challenges as Well
Traditional casino gambling isn’t the struggling segment within New Jersey’s commercial gaming industry, which ranks as the second wealthiest in the nation, surpassed only by Nevada. Oddsmakers are producing significantly lower income for the casinos and their external operators, as numerous bettors in the Garden State have reduced their wagering.
In the first four months of 2024, sports bettors in New Jersey wagered nearly $5.2 billion. In 2025, the total wagers over the four months reached $4.2 billion.
Possible reasons include bettors becoming disillusioned with sportsbooks' unfavorable odds compared to offshore options and returning to unregulated operations, economic and inflationary pressures limiting their betting activities, or the effective impact of responsible gaming initiatives.
In April, sportsbooks earned $90.5 million from sports bettors, marking a 15% decrease, equating to $15.7 million. Year to date, bookmakers’ profits have decreased 18% to $357.6 million. At this stage in 2024, books earned $76.6 million more.
Unyielding iGaming
Atlantic City and sportsbooks struggle, yet the numerous online casinos in the state keep thriving.
iGaming revenue, which includes online slots, table games, and poker rake, reached $235.2 million, representing a 25% increase. The online casino's GGR increased by $47.2 million. Year to date, iGaming earnings exceed $908.4 million, rising 21%, or more than $157.7 million.
Summer Period
Summer is the peak season in Atlantic City, drawing numerous tourists from Philadelphia, Northern New Jersey, and New York. The casino town believes that 2025 will improve over 2024, as beach restoration efforts at the northern end of the Boardwalk have created plenty of space for sunbathers.
James Plousis, the leader of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, states that another attraction for visitors to Atlantic City is the thousands of casino employees who deliver outstanding service.
"Tourists who visit Atlantic City receive first-class service from dedicated workers in the casino hotels,” Plousis told Casino.org. “Last week, I attended the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority’s ‘Host Awards,’ which acknowledged team members who provide exemplary service and outstanding hospitality. The enthusiasm of that celebration was remarkable and it foreshadows a promising summer season.”
As New York is poised to determine the locations for three multibillion-dollar casinos featuring slot machines, live dealer table games, and sports betting, the upcoming two or three summers are vital for Atlantic City to demonstrate its capacity to compete with the imminent venues that will likely draw some Atlantic City regulars to stay nearby.
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