Atlantic City Casinos Post Best July in 14 Years

ATLANTIC CITY - Atlantic City's casino industry delivered its strongest July performance since 2012, signaling that our summer gaming season has hit full stride after a sluggish start to the warmer months.

The city's nine casinos collectively won $304.2 million from slot machines and table games in July, representing a 7.1% increase compared to the same month last year, according to figures released by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. The performance marks the best July since 2012, when the industry was still reeling from years of market contraction.

Slot machines generated $226.1 million of the total, up 6.2% year over year, while table games brought in $78.1 million, a 9.5% jump from July 2025.

Borgata Leads, Caesars Surges

Eight of Atlantic City's nine casinos posted revenue gains for the month. Borgata maintained its position as the market leader with $81.6 million in casino winnings, up 2.1% from last July. The most dramatic improvement came from Caesars, which saw revenue surge 34.6% to reach $25.3 million.

Bally's was the only property to see revenue decline, dropping 13.7% to $12.2 million for the month.

In-Person Gaming Outpaces Online for First Time This Year

July marked a notable milestone: physical casino revenue exceeded online gaming for the first time in 2026. This wasn't due to any weakness in the digital sector—quite the opposite. Online gaming revenue from slots, table games, and poker reached a record monthly high of nearly $277 million.

FanDuel, operating through its partnership with Golden Nugget, dominated the online casino space with $61.7 million in revenue, an 18.5% increase. DraftKings, partnered with Resorts, came in second at $48.1 million.

World Cup Fuels Sports Betting Boom

Sports bettors had a rough month, losing $100 million across online and in-person wagering—a 30% increase compared to July 2025. The FIFA World Cup proved to be a major driver, accounting for more than $30 million of the total sportsbook revenue.

Online betting dominated the sports wagering landscape, generating $94.6 million of the $100 million total. FanDuel's online sportsbook, licensed through the Meadowlands Racetrack, led all operators with $32.8 million in revenue. DraftKings followed at $25.6 million, BetFanatics at $10.6 million, and BetMGM at $8.8 million.

Statewide Revenue Crosses $4 Billion

When combining physical casinos, online gaming, and sports betting, New Jersey's total gaming revenue reached $678,116,068 in July 2026, an 11.9% year-over-year increase. The strong month pushed the state's year-to-date gaming revenue past the $4 billion threshold to $4.2 billion—faster than any previous year.

New York Competition Looms

While our casino industry is thriving now, challenges lie ahead. Three full-scale casinos are planned for New York City—two in Queens and one in the Bronx—which could draw customers away from Atlantic City in the coming years.

For now, Atlantic City maintains its monopoly on casino gaming in New Jersey. State lawmakers in Trenton chose not to place a referendum before voters this year that would have allowed slot machines to expand beyond Atlantic City as a competitive response to the forthcoming New York City market.