How This Became Possible
Online gambling in New Jersey started in 2013. For years it was the smaller market. Atlantic City held the bigger number regardless of how well or badly individual properties were doing. That started shifting around 2021, when online revenue stood at $1.37 billion. Four years later it was at $2.91 billion, with each year adding more than the last: $1.66 billion in 2022, $1.92 billion in 2023, and $2.39 billion in 2024.
December pushed it over the line. Online operators posted $273.2 million that month, a new all-time record, beating the previous high of $260.3 million set in October. The land-based total for December came in at $216.1 million. That gap in the final month decided the annual race. It was also the 17th straight month where online operators cleared $200 million, a streak that shows how consistent the growth has become rather than relying on a single outlier month.
Market Leaders
FanDuel and Meadowlands came out on top online with $470.1 million for the year, up 2.3%. DraftKings and Resorts World were next at $325.3 million, up 12.5%. BetMGM and Borgata were third at $85.8 million, up 21.5%.
On the physical side, Borgata led with $800.8 million, up 8.5%. Ocean had a good year, growing 14.3% to $468.1 million. Five of the nine properties finished below their 2024 numbers. Bally’s was down 8.5%, Caesars fell 6.7%, and Tropicana dropped 4.9%.
What the Numbers Say
New Jersey’s total gaming revenue for 2025 was $6.98 billion, up 10.8% and the fifth year in a row the state set a new record. Online casinos contributed nearly 42% of that. Tax collections from online gaming came to $581.9 million. Total gaming taxes crossed $1 billion for the first time.
James Plousis, chairman of the Casino Control Commission, pointed out that Atlantic City still had its best land-based year since 2012. “Internet gaming win set a monthly record in December and, for the first time, annual internet gaming win exceeded in-person casino win. Atlantic City’s annual casino win grew 2.7% compared to 2024, demonstrating that in-person and online gaming can succeed together”, he said.
What’s Next
January 2026 brought $258.9 million in online revenue, 16.8% more than January 2025. February was $251.8 million, up 21.2% year on year. Two months in, 2026 has put $510.7 million on the board, running 18.9% ahead of the same period last year. No US state has ever hit $3 billion in annual online casino revenue. New Jersey is on track to be the first.
Atlantic City still has the New York problem to deal with. Three land-based casino licences are being finalised for the New York area. Once those open, some of the visitors who currently make the trip to Atlantic City probably won’t bother.
