New Jersey Online Casinos Win $86M in May, as Atlantic City Gaming Floors Remain Closed

Posted on: June 15, 2020, 09:25h. 

Last updated on: June 15, 2020, 11:16h.

Devin O'Connor Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Politics.

Online casinos in New Jersey won nearly $86 million last month, as internet gambling increased because of the nine gaming floors in Atlantic City remaining closed by the pandemic throughout May

Statistics from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) show that online casino operators reported gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $85.9 million – a 124 percent surge compared with May 2019.

Sportsbooks won $9.9 million last month. With few sports to wager on, oddsmakers reported a 36.2 percent year-over-year revenue drop.

Online casinos and sports betting win totaled $95.8 million – a 65.4 percent loss. Through five months of 2020, revenue for New Jersey’s gaming industry stands at $929.7 million. That’s $377.2 million less than where the industry was at this time last year.

Garden State Reopening

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has no firm time line as to when Atlantic City’s casinos might be permitted to reopen. Beginning today, the first-term governor allowed outdoor dining, nonessential retail businesses, and day care to resume operations.

“This is a big day,” Murphy told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie on this morning’s TODAY Show. “We’re slowly but surely getting back on our feet.”

The governor has faced criticism for what some believe has been too slow of a response to allow the state to reopen. A heckler could be heard shouting at Murphy during his NBC interview. As for casinos, the governor explained that the coronavirus is much more contagious indoors than out.

I don’t think we can responsibly go faster,” Murphy said. “We’ll get there. Casinos, which are a huge part of the economy, obviously, in our state and Atlantic City, we’ll get there. But we have to do it responsibly.”

The governor added, “This guy [heckler] deserves to say what he wants to say. But honestly, the overwhelming majority of folks get it. We make the decisions. They’re not arbitrary – they’re based on facts and data.”

Online Onwards and Upwards

For the meantime, online casinos and mobile sports betting will remain the lifeline of New Jersey’s gaming industry. And Golden Nugget’s online operations continue to lead the way.

Golden Nugget won $29 million online last month, accounting for 33.7 percent of the statewide internet GGR haul. Resorts was a distant second at $17.6 million, and Borgata third at $16.6 million.

Monthly handle (total amount wagered) was $117.8 million. In May of 2019, sports bettors placed almost $319 million in bets.