Atlantic City Casino Report Highlights Brick-and-Mortar Concerns Amid NYC Threat
Posted on: May 11, 2025, 11:37h.
Last updated on: May 11, 2025, 01:01h.
- Atlantic City casinos will face new competition in the coming years by way of New York City
- In-person play in Atlantic City has remained relatively flat in recent years
- Atlantic City continues to provide many economic benefits in South Jersey
All nine casinos in Atlantic City were profitable last year, but a newly published report sheds light on growing concerns about the resorts’ ability to compete long-term once multibillion-dollar gaming properties open in nearby New York City.
For a second consecutive year, Stockton University’s Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality, and Tourism, or LIGHT, released a study, “Impact: Atlantic City Casino Industry.” The annual publication analyzes the economic contributions of the Atlantic City gaming sector and “illustrates the importance of all stakeholders working together to ensure its continued success,” explained LIGHT Faculty Director Jane Bokunewicz.
The 2024 “Impact” details that while overall gross gaming revenue (GGR) climbed 9% from 2023, land-based win contracted by more than 1%. Aside from increased online sports betting and internet casino gaming, brick-and-mortar GGR has not returned to pre-pandemic levels despite continued reinvestments by the nine casinos.
Revenue Not Keeping Up With Costs
With the casinos directing much of their online sports and iGaming money to their third-party partners like FanDuel and DraftKings, net revenues fell 0.5% in 2024 to $3.31 billion.
The ‘flat’ trajectory of traditional, brick-and-mortar casino revenues has become concerning to some, especially considering recent, substantial investments Atlantic City properties have made to enhance [the] in-person integrated casino resort experience,” Bokunewicz wrote. “Given inflation and other continuing market pressures, this performance was not enough to offset operators’ expenses.”
LIGHT, utilizing vehicle counts at the Pleasantville Toll Plaza along the Atlantic City Expressway, estimated that the East Coast casino capital welcomed approximately 18 million people in 2024. While that was a slight increase on 2023, it remained about two million fewer visitors than in 2019, and six million fewer visitors than in 2009.
Because of higher costs, the nine casinos managed to charge about $1.6 million more for food and beverage and $109.1 million more for hotel rooms than they did in 2019. However, due to lingering inflation from the pandemic, paired with higher wages and benefits costs, much of that added revenue went to cover increased overhead.
Nonetheless, Atlantic City casinos continue to be the driving force of the local economy. The resorts employed 23,000 people, paid $883 million in casino taxes and fees, purchased $605 million in goods and services from New Jersey vendors, invested $205 million into their properties, donated $1 million to charitable causes, and volunteered more than 7,000 hours.
New York Looming
By the time 2025 closes, it’s expected that the bidding war for the three downstate New York casino licenses will be finished. Each concession comes with a $500 million fee for the privilege of operating slot machines, live dealer table games, and retail sports betting in New York City, Long Island, or Westchester County.
Bokunewicz says the next few years are critical in solidifying Atlantic City’s standing in an ever-growing competitive landscape. NYC has for decades been a major feeder market for the New Jersey shore town.
The continued reinvestment and revitalization in our great city is more important than ever with the expansion of downstate New York casinos on the horizon,” she concluded.
Last Comments ( 15 )
Why should people drive to AC and waste money on high tolls, high gas and high parking garage fees? In Philly area there are 6 casinos with free parking!! You save money immediately by staying in Philly. The AC city government is highly corrupt! Atlantic avenue has needed a paving job for years now. What is AC doing with the millions it collects from the casinos in taxes ????? Do the following to make AC more attractive: - Lower the tolls. - Make parking garages free. - Pave the AC streets. - More police. - More cheap food options.
The CRDA and Atlantic City casinos are not really doing a good job marketing Atlantic City. Its biggest advantage is the beach, but what do they do, they block it off and make it difficult to visit. They could take advantage of all the meeting space at the casinos and Convention center to have more business events or other events for the public. The could have events like Restaurant week more than once a year. Why don't they have slot tournaments or video poker tournaments. It would bring in people. I don't know why they don't advertise that Atlantic City is much cheaper than Vegas and go after people who are not rich but like to gamble. They could make better use of social media and invite social media influencers to visit Atlantic City. For example in Vegas they show influencers playing slots, video poker, black jack and baccarat. I get that the executives are not familiar with social media and do not understand it but they could hire people that understand social media. Just a total lack of imagination by the Atlantic City marketing folks and the Casinos. They will get what they deserve when the New York casinos open, as they did not take advantage of already being open to get more people to visit.
Also, too much corruption within the city officials which have been well documented. A real shame, when they let one industry run the town. Just look at the town in upstate ny, where remmington rifles were made. It folded and now it is treading water to really stay afloat. Same thing could happen to atlantic city where one business calls all the shots and more or less can dictate in which way the wind blows
If you look at atlantic city as a whole, most of the area in seedy and run down. There is no visible mansion, all pre fab houses. Probably alot of section 8 residents. A.C. has to diverse itself with more than just the casinos to sustain itself, because if the economy really bubbles up, who has money to come an gamble. Most people will worry about paying bills to stay above water. That doesn't bode well for the casinos looking to attract gamblers. When or if that comes to a certain point, less money coming in, lay offs are knocking on the door because less traffic comes in, any business that sustains fewer profits, they have to raise prices to cover costs. At least if they deversify and try and attract business to invest in the community, it would help alleviate the concern of lay offs and the overall economy. If the economy goes into some kind of recession which could happen any time, the fear of all this happening would have a devastating effect on the gambling vibe
I come about twice a month, From Ocean City, Maryland. I Agree with a lot of the comments, ( Not All ), in making AC, a Better Place. My Pet Peeve, is AC’s road’s. If you come to OC, Md., You will see what roads look like, when they R taken care of. I can not believe, that the roads in AC, R that bad, They look and feel like, I’m in a 3rd world country. In fact, because of the the roads in AC, I was there 2 weeks ago and that might have been my last trip. DO SOMETHING About It!!!
Michael Finn, in 2024 AC had a significantly higher crime rate per capita than NYC. Its violent crime rate per capita is double that of NYC, property crime rate per capita almost four times that of NYC, and total crime rate per capita three times that of NYC. There is already Top Golf at Ocean. And according to you, its biggest asset, the beach and boardwalk, need a complete makeover. I’d rather go to Ocean City or Cape May for the beach and gamble online. No violence, no people begging for money, no marijuana smell everywhere you turn, and nicely paved streets. Respectfully, Don
The only thing that is missing where is the beach?
I live in NJ. I love AC. I would not visit any casino in New York. For all the people criticizing Atlantic City’s crime, are you delusional? Stabbing, murders, and robberies on a daily basis in NYC! I’d choose Atlantic City any day of the week over NYC. NYC will have increased crime, more congestion and more traffic. There’s no better place than AC especially May-October. The beach and boardwalk needs a complete makeover. I would add some additional attractions for the entire family. A top golf, racing track just to name a few. I would have that place exciting year round.The Hell with NYC!
Where did the $18,000,000 go that South Jersey Gas gave to the city to pave Atlantic Ave after they ran new gas lines down Atlantic Ave? It was "put into the general fund" according to city officials. When asked where's the money? The city officials said it was "spent" they were asked what was it spent on and they responded "we don't know because over it was in the general fund it gets used for city expenses". That's why the streets are a shambles. Where is the state oversight?
As soon as you go south on the garden state property values keep increasing. Casinos need to go. They've done nothing to help a.c.. from ventnor to cape may each town is beautiful. A.c. is a slum that needs to be gutted and destroyed. And you start with the Casinos and you let real jersey shore developers come in and you will see a beautiful town in 20 years
This was an unjust monopoly for decades. Add in years of corrupt officials that allowed Atlantic city to fester in the shadow of the casinos. Damn well near a third world country when you leave the board walk. Murders aren't at all uncommon. Reminds me or resorts around the world where they warn if you leave the resort you are at your own risk. Did this ever not end this way? No improvements, you enter Atlantic city at your own risk. I'm amazed with online gambling in the safety of your home anyone goes to overpriced resorts that barely seem to be trying. But hey greed is as American as apple pie
No surprise there. AC is a losing bet! They jacked up resorts helping bolster $109m more in room revenue. $6 for a Coke. $25 for a cheeseburger. The rooms aren’t clean. The casinos are filthy. They close down all but a couple restaurants midweek. There is no service. As a room attendant a question about the property and they can’t. The city itself has huge potholes, broken traffic lights, and a boardwalk to smells like weed. Shootings happen a couple times a month. Tolls coming down have gone up. Besides going to the beach, what does AC offer that you couldn’t get at most of the proposed NYC casinos? Nothing! And should one of the NYC casinos go in Coney Island, AC is in really big trouble. Respectfully, Don
We used to have 7,000 bus daily coming to AC so now only Greyhound goes to the City at one Bus every other hour, City Hall has ruined Atlantic City not outside Gaming, also CRDA has been steeling tax payers money and funding the AC Casinos when in fact the Casino was to fund AC but has done nothing but profit off taxpayers so AC roads and infrastructure is still a mess sense these Casino opened there doors, take not that every mayor was and is crooked along with City council, if it didn't benefit them then nothing got done.
Maybe if they actually let you win once in awhile. I loose 3 to 4 thousand every time I go down and my seven star card that used to get me into the high end restaurant free ( now closed ,,)!now is only good for a $20 dollar food credit . Really??
Just visited AC. Didn’t get a decent video poker hand in five casinos. Only upside was being comped two nights at Resorts and the great Italian Restaurant at their property. Very strange blackjack rules at Resorts. Change from table to table. Best to avoid.