March 2026
In LIGHT of the data.
Despite one of the worst winters in recent years, first quarter 2026 brick-and-mortar casino gross gaming revenue (GGR) surprisingly increased over the same period in 2025. Even so, internet gaming exceeded traditional gaming channels for total first quarter GGR and represented nearly half of total GGR for the period.
March 2026 marks the seventh consecutive month where GGR for internet gaming has exceeded
traditional, brick-and-mortar channels. The fact that brick-and-mortar gaming has
not exceeded internet gaming since August 2025 may be indicative of a high degree
of seasonality when it comes to in-person gaming. As the weather warms and a visit
to the shore becomes increasingly attractive, it will be interesting to see how this
trend evolves.
The convenience of gaming via online channels, especially when weather is not at its
best, is likely to continue resulting in growth for internet gaming operations and
flat brick-and-mortar performance in the shoulder and off seasons. However we should
see some year-over-year growth in brick-and-mortar during the peak summer tourism
season.
Just as during the pandemic, online gaming operations may prove to be an asset as
competition for convenience gamblers increases with the introduction of downstate
New York casinos. The benefit of this will be limited by properties’ revenue-sharing
agreements with third-party business partners and affiliates.
To succeed with brick-and-mortar operations, it will become increasingly necessary
for Atlantic City’s casino resorts to “lean in” to their on-property assets to make
the in-person experience sufficiently enticing and distinctive to attract patrons
in this competitive market.
Although net revenue was again up for the quarter, this did not translate to gains
in gross operating profit (GOP). The relationship between the net gaming revenue and
GOP trends in recent quarters (both essentially flat with a slightly upward trend
in net revenue and a slight downward trend for GOP) suggests that operators have been
successful in transferring some, but not all, of the increases in operating expenses
on to consumers. This pattern is also seen in the year-end numbers which again showed
a slightly upward trend in net revenue and a marginally downward trend in GOP.
Atlantic City’s casino operators have been responding to competitive pressures in
a variety of ways. These efforts include capital improvements, and investments in
marketing and promotions to distinguish themselves from competitors and stimulate
consumer interest and patronage.
The return on these investments has been slow in its realization, partly due to external
variables, like inflation, that on paper seem to have dulled the effects of these
revenue generating initiatives. Properties have also tried to optimize GOP by taking
a careful look at their expenses, however a lot of operational expenses such as wages,
energy prices and the cost of goods sold, have been impacted by external factors.
Atlantic City Gaming Win & Total Casino Revenue
Source:
| Monthly Revenue (Casino Licensees, $ In Thousands |
March 2026 |
% Change from Prior Year | March 2025 | YTD
2026 |
% Change from Prior Year | YTD 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino Gaming Win | $236,686 | 2.5% | $230,892 | $652,918 | 1.3% | $644,424 |
| Internet Gaming Win | $272,059 | 11.6% | $243,889 | $782,793 | 16.3% | $673,269 |
| Sports Wagering Revenue* | $51,611 | 18.2% | $43,671 | $152,551 | 4.8% | $145,573 |
| Total Gaming Win (includes Internet & Sports Wagering) | $560,357 | 8.1% | $518,357 | $1,588,262 | 8.5% | $1,463,266 |
| Quarterly Revenue (Industry, $ In Millions)** | Q4 2025 | % Change from Prior Year | Q4 2024 | YTD December 31, 2025 | % Change from Prior Year | YTD December 31, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino | 408.14 | 2.7% | 397.59 | 1,673.17 | 0.8% | 1,660.60 |
| Rooms | 144.55 | -1.9% | 147.36 | 686.97 | -4.1% | 716.51 |
| Food & Beverage | 131.67 | -2.5% | 135.10 | 556.72 | -3.1% | 574.50 |
| Entertainment & Other | 100.20 | 12.8% | 88.85 | 499.44 | 38.7% | 360.15 |
| Casino Licensees Total Net Revenue | 784.56 | 2.0% | 768.91 | 3,294.14 | -0.5% | 3,311.76 |
| Gross Operating Profit (GOP) | 124.75 | -5.8% | 132.50 | 681.64 | -3.9% | 709.14 |
* Data as reported in New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for individual licensees for respective months. May not match . Does not include Racetracks.
** Data agregated from New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for individual properties. May not match totals from which represent a 'snapshot' of data at the time of publication and are not retroactively updated.
Atlantic City Hotel Lodging
Source:
| Casino Hotel Lodging Statistics For the Period Ended September 30, 2025 & 2024 |
Q4 2025 | Q4 2024 | YTD 2025 | YTD 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupancy percentage | 64.88% | 65.63% | 71.2% | 72.0% |
| Average Daily Room Rate (ADR) | $164.90 | $160.27 | $175.16 | $177.79 |
| Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)* | $106.99 | $105.19 | $124.71 | $128.01 |
* RevPAR= ADR X Occupancy Percentage
Atlantic City Casino Operator Taxes & Fees
Source:
Total Paid Taxes & Fees |
$1,084,758,000 | $870,391,000 | 24.63% | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taxes & Fees |
Year End 2025 | Year End 2024 | % | |||
|
Casino Gaming Gross Revenue Tax |
$180,652,000 |
$180,102,000 |
0.31% | |||
|
Internet Gaming Gross Revenue Tax |
$509,111,000 | $358,328,000 | 42.08% | |||
|
Sports Wagering - Retail Gross Revenue Tax (includes racetracks) |
$2,807,000 | $2,873,000 | -2.24% | |||
|
Sports Wagering - Internet Gross Revenue Tax (includes racetracks) |
$191,555,000 | $138,346,000 | 38.46% | |||
| Investment Alternative Tax/CRDA Obligations | $108,942,000 | $94,941,000 | 14.75% | |||
| 1.25% Additional Tax | $8,493,000 | $6,189,000 | 37.23% | |||
| 1.25% EDT | $6,389,000 | $7,521 | -15.05% | |||
| Luxury Tax | $41,632,000 | $45,217 | -7.93% | |||
| Tourism Promotion Fee | $8,154,000 | $8,519,000 | -4.29% | |||
| Hotel Room Fee | $11,764,000 | $12,090,000 | -2.70% | |||
| Hotel Room Surcharge | $7,842,000 | $8,060,000 | -2.70% | |||
| Parking Fees | $16,775,000 | $17,835,000 | 55.94% | |||
Atlantic City Casino Operator Spending
Source: - Member Reported
| Total | $162,005,367 | $143,126,063 | 13.19% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Purchase of Goods and Services From New Jersey Vendors(By County) |
Q4 2025 | Q4 2024 | % | ||
| Atlantic | $100,507,551 | $8,7157,649 | 15.32% | ||
| Bergen | $3,039,901 | $3,016,167 | 0.79% | ||
| Burlington | $2,888,533 | $3,210,041 | -10.02% | ||
| Camden | $4,102.502 | $4,505,412 | -8.94% | ||
| Cape May | $2,562,490 | $2,338,743 | 9.57% | ||
| Cumberland | $4,714,778 | $4,396,910 | 7.23% | ||
| Essex | $10,775,553 | $10,414,741 | 3.46% | ||
| Gloucester | $2,468,038 | $2,273,721 | 8.55% | ||
| Hudson | $417,358 | $788,450 | -47.07% | ||
| Hunterdon | $67,141 | $18,693 | 259.18% | ||
| Mercer | $4,013,369 | $4,282,983 | -6.30% | ||
| Middlesex | $4,053,406 | $3,635,497 | 11.50% | ||
| Monmouth | $3,357,695 | $3,479,775 | -3.51% | ||
| Morris | $2,599,438 | $2,364,116 | 9.95% | ||
| Ocean | $2,400,184 | $1,809,421 | 32.65% | ||
| Passaic | $2,312,488 | $1,284,891 | 79.98% | ||
| Salem | $92,943 | $76,624 | 21.30% | ||
| Somerset | $2,632,372 | $2,448,137 | 7.53% | ||
| Sussex | $2,463 | $5,974 | -58.77% | ||
| Union | $8,996,730 | $5,615,129 | 60.22% | ||
| Warren | $428 | $2,963 | -85.56% | ||
Other Spending |
Q4 2025 | Q4 2024 | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Expenditures | $59,520,293 | $46,984,010 | 26.68% | |||
| PILOT Contributions (Includes PILOT & additional payments under PILOT legislation) | $29,188,337 | $28,616,166 | 1.32% | |||
| CRDA Special Improvement District | $271,810 | $323,863 | -16.01% | |||
| Municipal/Atlantic City Fees- Water | $1,614,230 | $1,380,885 | 16.88% | |||
| Municipal/Atlantic City Fees- Sewer | $803,978 | $969,266 | -17.05% | |||
|
Municipal/Atlantic City Fees- Other (permits, boardwalk seating, mercantile etc.) |
$395,244 | $723,083 | -45.37% | |||
| Charitable Contributions | $88,443 | $203,816 | -22.22% | |||
Total Spending |
$253,886,000 | $222,327,000 | 14.19% |
|---|
Atlantic City Statistical Transportation Data
Source:
|
Travel Mode |
February 2026 |
February 2025 |
Change from Prior Year |
YTD 2026 |
YTD 2025 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Expressway | ||||||
| Total Toll-Paying Traffic Pleasantville Toll Plaza |
||||||
| AC Airport | ||||||
| Scheduled Service Passengers | ||||||
| Charter Passengers | ||||||
| Total Air Passengers | ||||||
* A note regarding year-over-year comparison of Toll-Paying Traffic at Pleasantville Toll Plaza of the Atlantic City Expressway. In the period January 2020 through January 2026 tolls on the Atlantic City Expressway have increased by approximatly 52%. As of January 4, 2026 cashless tolling has been adopted at all toll plazas - this has impacted data collection and reporting.
Atlantic City Meetings and Conventions Data
Source:
| March '26 | March '25 | % Change from Prior Year |
TOTAL 2026 YTD |
TOTAL 2025 YTD |
% Change from Prior Year |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventions/Tradeshows/Meetings1 | ||||||
| # of Shows | ||||||
| # of Room Nights | ||||||
| # of Attendees3 | ||||||
| Delegate Spending | ||||||
| Boardwalk Hall Bookings | ||||||
| # of Shows | ||||||
| # of Attendees | ||||||
| Hotel Bookings | ||||||
| # of Shows | ||||||
| # of Room Nights | ||||||
| # of Attendees | ||||||
| Delegate Spending | ||||||
| Monthly Totals | ||||||
| # Convs_Trade_Mtgs / Boardwalk Hall / Hotel | ||||||
| # of Room Nights | ||||||
| # of Attendees | ||||||
| Delegate Spending | ||||||
1Includes Visit Atlantic City events booked at Boardwalk Hall
3Variance in attendance numbers due to revisions in calculating and tracking methods
Atlantic City Information
Casino Reinvestment Development Authority’s Special Improvement District reports 2025 impacts - In a March 9 , the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority’s Special Improvement District () reported a year of measurable impact across the tourism district. In addition to completing nearly 2,000 work orders, SID staff planted more than 9,000 flowers, 5,000 bulbs, 270 ornamental grasses, and 300+ trees and plants, assisted 44 at-risk individuals through the SID Ambassador Program, and supported major tourism and community events, including farmers markets, parades, marathons and Boardwalk Hall graduations. The year saw a variety of other impacts ranging from public safety, cleanliness & maintenance and beautification to community partnerships.
New Jersey Gaming News
Monmouth Park Racetrack operators, Darby Development, propose redevelopment plan including casino resort - As reported by , Darby Development has put forward plans to redevelop the Monmouth Park Racetrack property into a mixed-use destination with a casino resort, youth sports complex and hundreds of apartments. The entire plan is contingent on whether the state will, through a statewide ballot referendum to amend the New Jersey Constitution, allow casino gambling to expand outside of Atlantic City.
National Gaming News
2026 Planning & Progress Study from Northwestern Mutual finds young Americans leaning toward "high-risk/speculative assets such as prediction markets, sports betting and cryptocurrencies" - According to a sizeable number of Americans – particularly young adults - are showing interest in prediction markets, sports betting and cryptocurrencies. Of those using or considering these products, "73% say they’re doing so because they feel financially behind and think those investments offer a faster path to their goals than traditional methods." Further reporting from .
American Gaming Association estimated $3.3 billion will be legally wagered on March Madness - According to a March 13 , the American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that Americans will legally wager $3.3 billion on the NCAA Division I Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournaments this year, a 54% increase over the past three years.
Lawmakers push for law banning insider trading on prediction markets; federal prosecutors explore potential violations - As reported by and , federal lawmakers and prosecutors have increased scrutiny of predictions markets with respect to threats of insider trading. As recorded by , several pieces of legislation have been introduced in an effort to address this emerging issue.
Virginia lawmakers advance iGaming legislation - As reported by , lawmakers in both chambers of Virginia state government have passed, differing, online casino bills. The bills and prompted the formation of a conference committee - neither has passed from the conference.
Hospitality & Tourism News
After extended tourism decline in 2025, Las Vegas poised for rebound in 2026 - As reported by , and , after a yearlong downturn in 2025, Las Vegas is showing signs of recovery to start 2026. Read the latest Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority LVCVA Executive Summary of Southern Nevada Tourism Indicators .
Chicago City Council approves Tourism Improvement District for city - According to a March 18 , the Chicago City Council has passed a resolution establishing a Tourism Improvement District (TID), a move that will provide a stable and dedicated funding source for Choose Chicago, the city’s official destination marketing organization (DMO). The resolution's passage is being hailed as "a transformative moment for Chicago’s tourism industry."
Impact of World Cup tourism questioned - As reported by , recent events have called the expected economic impact of the U.S. hosting of the World Cup into question. While there will certainly be a boost from the event, the degree of impact has become less certain.
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) considers aggressive campaign to woo back Canadian visitors - As reported by , the LVCVA is considering paying up to $6 million on five years’ worth of aggressive new campaigns from Toronto-based Reach Global Marketing, the LVCVA’s Canadian representative for 20 years. Due to political tensions between Canada and the U.S., Las Vegas saw a 24% decline in Canadian tourists in 2025 — a loss estimated to be worth $200 million in visitor spending.
New York reports increase in total visitors, decline in international tourism in 2025 - As reported by , even as overall visitation to the city increased in 2025, the destination saw approximately $400,000 fewer international travelers. In 2025, New York City welcomed 65 million visitors, a 0.7% increase, despite the loss of international visitors. Spending also increased by 4% to $55.6 billion. Visits from Canadian, German and French tourists dropped by 19, 13 and 8.3 %, respectively.
TSA workers to be paid after 44 days of working without - As reported by , , and , after six weeks without receiving a full paycheck, TSA workers will finally be paid and receive back pay easing travel disruptions nationwide. Relief came as President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing the Homeland Security secretary to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration agents. 61,000 TSA employees had been working without pay since a partial government shutdown started on February 14. Additional reporting from .
U.S. tourism envoy named - As recorded by the and reported by and the , Nick Adams has been named Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism, and Values. The role is aimed at promoting America's tourism at a time when U.S. inbound travel is in decline.
War in Middle East impacts global tourism - As reported by , , , and , countless destinations and travel companies - including global airlines - are feeling the impact of war in the Middle East. Major airlines have suspended flights across the region with ripple effects worldwide. It has been reported by , and others, that Iran has threatened to target recreational and tourist sites globally. In the U.S., in response to surging jet fuel prices. The estimates the conflict is already costing the travel and tourism sector at least $600 million per day.
LIGHT Snapshots is a publication of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism, 鶹ýվ School of Business
Jane Bokunewicz, Ph. D., Faculty Director and Professor of Hospitality
