Online Casinos Drive February Gaming Growth in New Jersey
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – New Jersey gaming revenue rose 7.4% in February to $520.8 million, according to the latest figures from the Division of Gaming Enforcement.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The gains were driven by strong online casino play, while retail casino and sports betting results remained softer, shaping a mixed month for operators across the state. The monthly totals combined receipts from Atlantic City’s nine commercial casinos, racetracks and their online partners, and produced $74.8m in gross revenue taxes for the state.
Breaking down the figures, land-based casino win across the nine Atlantic City properties – including Borgata, Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resort, Tropicana, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, Ocean Casino Resort, Bally’s, Golden Nugget and Resorts Casino Hotel – was $202.9m, a small decline of 0.3% year-on-year. Online gaming continued to be the engine of growth, with internet gaming win of $251.8m, up 21.2% from February 2025. Sports betting gross revenue fell to $66.0m, down 10.3% year-over-year.
On a year-to-date basis through the first two months of 2026, total gaming revenue stood at $1.11bn, an increase of 6.6% compared with the same period in 2025. Online gaming accounted for $510.7m of that total, up 18.9% year-to-date, while sports betting gross revenue reached $180.7m, a 7.7% decline versus last year. Year-to-date gross revenue taxes were reported at $161.3m.
The DGE’s preliminary wagering data also highlighted subdued Super Bowl betting activity: operators accepted an estimated $126.5m in wagers on Super Bowl LX in February 2026, down from $168.7m wagered on the title game in 2025. That decline contributed to February’s softer sports-betting performance.
Related: New Jersey Gaming Revenue Nears $7 Billion After Strong 2025 Performance
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What the Totals Mean for Atlantic City Operators
Industry executives and analysts say the picture is familiar – digital growth offsetting pressure on retail floors and a sports market that is recalibrating after an outsized 2025 Super Bowl. George Goldhoff, who was recently appointed president of the Casino Association of New Jersey after leading Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City since January 2023, said: "The strength in online gaming reflects where customers are choosing to play today. Operators in Atlantic City are investing in technology and product variety to capture that demand while also working to reinvigorate on-property experiences that keep guests coming back."
Independent analysts noted the mixed signals. "A more mature online channel driving year-on-year gains is a positive for revenue diversification", said Timothy Lee, senior industry analyst at Atlantic Gaming Analytics. "But the fall in sports betting revenue – partially due to lighter event-related wagering this February – underlines how volatile the category can be month to month. Operators that manage promotional spend and margins effectively will be best positioned for stable growth."
For Atlantic City’s nine casinos, the combination of robust online results and slimmer retail win suggests strategic trade-offs: increased market share online often requires heavier bonusing and marketing investment, which can depress gross sports margins even as handle grows. Local competition from neighboring states, particularly New York and Pennsylvania, also remains a pressure point for high-value customers and regional sportsbook liquidity.
From a public-revenue perspective, the February tax haul of $74.8m will be watched closely by state policymakers. New Jersey’s casino tax structure ties a significant portion of revenue to gaming receipts, and steady online growth has helped offset declines elsewhere in the gaming mix.
Looking ahead, operators will be watching the spring sporting calendar and planned new game launches for online platforms. Continued investment in cross-channel loyalty programs and resort amenities will likely shape whether gains in internet play translate into long-term improvement for Atlantic City’s brick-and-mortar performance.
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