Atlantic City is confronting new competition on the horizon with the development of three multibillion-dollar resorts in New York City. However, the nine casinos along the New Jersey Shore have evaded another challenge, as lawmakers opted not to include a North Jersey casino referendum in the 2026 ballot.
Since state voters ratified a referendum in 1976 to permit casinos in Atlantic City, gambling options have been confined to this coastal city. This legislative change occurred after voters previously rejected a statewide casino gambling amendment two years earlier.
As New York City progresses with three new casino developments—Resorts World and Hard Rock Metropolitan Park in Queens, and Bally’s in the Bronx—certain lawmakers in New Jersey argue that North Jersey requires its own casino to remain competitive within this crucial metropolitan market.
No Movement on North Jersey Casino
New Jersey’s legal framework prohibits citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, meaning a ballot question must originate from the state Legislature. August 3 marked the deadline for Trenton to advance proposed amendments to the New Jersey Constitution; under state regulations, such questions require public notice at least three months prior to election day.
The Legislature is tasked with ensuring that proposed amendments are published at least once in one or more newspapers within each county, at least three months prior to submission to the electorate.”
NJ Constitution, Article IX, Paragraph 3
August 3 passed with no legislative notices issued. State lawmakers did not thoroughly evaluate a North Jersey casino proposal during the 2026 session, although Senate Concurrent Resolution 66 was introduced to facilitate casino operations at the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park racetracks.
Bergen County’s Meadowlands, managed by real estate mogul Jeff Gural, has long been in the crosshairs for potential slot installations.
“I was both disappointed and frankly astonished that I couldn’t get it on the ballot,” Gural expressed to NorthJersey.com.
Dennis Drazin, who oversees Monmouth Park, attributed the omission of the racetrack casino discussions to the negotiations surrounding a challenging state budget.
To place a constitutional referendum on the ballot, the New Jersey Legislature must pass the measure with a supermajority of three-fifths. If a simple majority subsequently supports the proposal, the constitution can be amended.
These referendums must occur during statewide general elections.
State of Atlantic City Casinos
The nine casinos in Atlantic City collectively achieved a gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $2.89 billion from their in-person slot machines and table games in 2025. As of June 2026, GGR has witnessed a 2% increase compared to the previous year.
In the pre-pandemic year of 2019, Atlantic City’s GGR reached $2.68 billion. Adjusted for inflation, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that this amount would equate to approximately $3.48 billion today.