New Jersey gaming revenue hit​ a record high​ оf nearly $6.3 billion​ іn 2024. The​ 9% year-over-year surge was primarily driven​ by iGaming,​ оr online slot machines and table games.

On Thursday, the New Jersey Division​ оf Gaming Enforcement revealed that gross gaming revenue (GGR) from iGaming totaled $2.38 billion. That marked​ a 24% surge,​ оr more than $463.4 million,​ оn 2023 numbers.

Oddsmakers won over $1 billion for the second year in a row. The $1.094 billion lost by bettors online and in person marked an almost 9% improvement from the books.

It was a different story down the shore. The nine casinos in Atlantic City won a little more than $2.81 billion from their physical slot machines and table games. That represented a 1.1% decline from 2023 — a difference of $30.4 million.

“Atlantic City casino win struggled to keep pace with the record growth of the online gaming and sports wagering segments in 2024. Still, annual casino online cash slot win ranked as the second-best year since 2013,” said James Plousis, chair of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, the parent agency of the Gaming Enforcement Division.

Plousis celebrated the $602.6 million that the casinos generated in state taxes, money that primarily supports seniors and disabled citizens in the Garden State.

Atlantic City Casinos Struggle with Physical Revenue Decline Amid Online Growth

Slot machines in Atlantic City in 2024 won about $2.1 billion from gamblers, a 0.7% decline from the prior year. Table game win dropped 2% to $731.4 million.

Borgata maintained its market control of Atlantic City with in-person GGR of $738.1 million, a 1.2% gain. Hard Rock was next at $544.9 million — up over 6% — and Ocean was third at $409.7 million (down 1.3%).

Along with Borgata and Hard Rock, Golden Nugget was the only other casino to grow physical GGR in 2024. The Marina District property won $147.1 million, up 0.7%.

Harrah’s experienced the largest decline, a 12% drop to $223.8 million. Bally’s revenue slowed 6% to $145.4 million, Caesars and Tropicana play dipped 5%, respectively to $218.4 million and $228 million, and Resorts was down 1% to $161.9 million.

Though the online revenue easily made up for the brick-and-mortar losses, the casinos say much of that revenue stays with their third-party interactive partners like DraftKings and FanDuel. Online gamblers also don’t spend money on hotel rooms, food and beverage, and live entertainment. They also don’t shop or receive spa treatments.

While casinos’ net revenue from casino gambling, rooms, F&B, and entertainment was flat through three quarters of 2024, the most recently disclosed quarterly earnings, the DGE said the resorts’ gross operating profits tumbled over 9%.

House Lucky in December

Atlantic City casinos found some luck in December, as table games reported strong holds on blackjack, roulette, and craps. Felt GGR climbed almost 12% to $63.8 million.

Slots saw revenue slow by 4% to $168 million. iGaming added $228 million — up 26.5%.

Oddsmakers suffered a bad finish to 2024, as many football games went bettors’ way. The Philadelphia Eagles winning three of their four games in December and covering the spread in two resulted in sportsbook revenue crashing 43% to about $62.8 million.