Out of the nine casinos in Atlantic City, only Borgata experienced an increase in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in August.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) reported today (Sept. 16) that in August, GGR from physical slot machines and table games amounted to $294.9 million. This showed a decline of 5.5% from the previous year, equating to a difference of $17 million.
Out of the nine casinos, eight reported a decrease in in-person GGR, with Ocean seeing the largest drop at 13%. Only Borgata by MGM Resorts showed improvement year-over-year, with a 6.4% increase in GGR driven by strong performance on the casino’s table games.
Up to August, only three casinos—Borgata, Caesars, and Ocean—have seen an increase in GGR in 2026.
iGaming Remains Stable
New Jersey’s iGaming platforms collected over $259.3 million from online casino players in August. This represented a 4.4% increase from August 2025, but was not enough to offset the losses from in-person revenue.
iGaming continued to grow despite August being a busy month in Atlantic City. The DGE report suggests that many gamblers chose to gamble online from home instead of visiting the New Jersey shore.
During the shoulder season, when temperatures cool and fewer travelers visit, the nine casinos face challenging operating conditions. Second-quarter operating profits dropped by over 9%.
With summer ending, Atlantic City is entering the start of its traditional shoulder season. Last year, internet gaming win eclipsed in-person casino win in every month of the shoulder season. This trend bears watching given the ongoing pressure being felt by Atlantic City operators in the face of record-high costs and expenses,” said James Plousis, chair of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.
Despite the challenges in August, Plousis stated that the summer of 2026 was a success. The top gaming regulator in the state mentioned that casino win from June to August surpassed $856 million, the highest summer figure in over a decade, narrowly exceeding the same period in 2025.
Less Activity in Sportsbooks
Sportsbooks in New Jersey continue to see a decrease in bets.
The DGE report showed that sports wagering revenue in August dropped by 25% to $61.4 million. Sportsbooks received $732.3 million in bets, down by 9% or $72.6 million compared to the previous year.
Year-to-date handle is now 4.2% lower, with bettors wagering $313 million less than in the first eight months of 2025. Oddsmakers have also had less luck, with a year-to-date hold rate of 9.1%, down 0.2% from the same period last year.
Total gross sports wagering revenue year-to-date reached $657.4 million, down by 6.2%.