Chavdar Vasilev is a gambling news writer with several years of experience in the iGaming industry. He started creating promotional content but soon found he loved reporting on the industry itself. Since then, he’s delivered...
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New Jersey online casinos saw strong growth in April, while Atlantic City’s retail properties experienced another decline. As a result, the gap between the two sectors was over $24 million, the highest ever.
While NJ couldn’t match the record-setting March results, online platforms delivered their second-highest month ever with $235.2 million in adjusted gross gaming revenue. That represented a 25.2% increase from the $187.9 million reported in April 2024.
In contrast, the Atlantic City casinos brought in $211.0 million last month, a decrease of 2.7% compared to the $216.8 million reported for April 2024. That marked the third straight month of declining revenue for the retail casinos.
The difference of $24.2 million is the largest recorded between the two sectors. In comparison, it was just under $13 million in March, while it was about $4.3 million in February.
Online casinos overtook the retail properties in October 2024 for the first time (in a non-pandemic month). Atlantic City properties bounced back and reclaimed the top spot in November and December, but iGaming has led the way since the beginning of the year.
April Brings Strong Growth For New Jersey Online Casinos
After enjoying a record $2.39 billion in revenue in 2024, online casinos have continued to deliver double-digit growth since the start of the year. Year-to-date revenue through April reached $908.4 million, an increase of 21% compared to last year:
- January: $221.6 million (an increase of 20.9% year-over-year)
- February $207.8 million (up by 14%)
- March $243.9 million (up by 23.7%)
- April $235.2 million (up by 25.2%)
FanDuel Casino took the number one spot in April with $52.9 million in revenue, an increase of 35.3% year over year. DraftKings was close second with $46.9 million generated, an increase of 19.5%. BetMGM took the third spot with $29.6, an increase of 27.9%.
Notably, Fanatics Casino continued to gain ground in the market. Although it was not live in April 2024, the $7.4 million generated in April 2025 was a 38.7% increase from March.
Retail Casinos Struggle, But Hopes Lie in the Summer
Atlantic City casinos started the year on a positive note with a 2.6% increase in revenue in January compared to January 2024. However, the nine properties declined in the following months, with the most significant decrease in February.
In the first four months of 2025, the retail casino sector took in $855.4 million, a decrease of 2%. Notably, the gap to online casinos stands at $53 million through four months.
- January: $210.1 million (2.6% increase year-over-year)
- February: $203.5 million (3.8% decrease)
- March: $230.9 (3.7% decrease)
- April: $211.0 (2.7% decrease)
It’s important to note that Q1 is traditionally slower for Atlantic City casinos due to the unfavorable weather. May has brought warmer-than-usual temperatures, so the sector hopes to post stronger results. Historically, the summer is a high point for Atlantic City casinos, with revenue reaching almost $300 million in August 2024.
Advertising Under Scrutiny as Problem Gambling Rates Rise
The continuous growth of iGaming in the Garden State, however, has led to concerns around problem gambling rates.
Recently, lawmakers introduced two new bills that would regulate where gambling ads can be displayed and mandate a study into how specific language in marketing campaigns can influence bettor behavior.
A5562, introduced by Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese and Assemblywoman Garnet Hall, seeks to “deter illegal or irresponsible gambling, challenge perceptions of gambling, and encourage the use of responsible gambling tools.”
A second bill would mandate a study to determine the “effectiveness of various words and phrases” in adverts for online casinos and sportsbooks.
