The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) today announced that Atlantic City had another great summer season, with August marking the 15-straight month of revenue gains. With great weather, the casino industry maintained solid employment figures, as well as increased tourism throughout the summer. The summer of 2019 follows a strong 2018 summer, which saw the legalization of sports betting, along with the opening of two new casino resorts.
“The summer of 2019 was the one of the best summers in recent years for Atlantic City,” said Steve Callender, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey. “Casinos saw strong employment, visitation and gaming revenue. Two great back-to-back summer seasons continue to demonstrate that the casino industry’s ongoing investment in Atlantic City’s transformation into a first-class resort and business conference destination has staying power.”
The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) report released on Thursday indicates that August gaming revenue for Atlantic City was $338.8 million. This reflects a 13 percent increase over the same period last year.
“Great things are happening in Atlantic City,” said Joseph Kelly, president of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce. “For the first time in many years, there is a real sense of optimism across the city. Tourism is up, the local business community is gaining momentum, and together we are fostering growth across the region’s economy. The Atlantic City casino industry has played a pivotal role in the city’s ongoing transformation.”
The introduction of legalized sports betting in June of 2018, along with expanded offerings have helped provide a boost in jobs, revenue and tourism this summer. Highlights of the sustained growth the casino industry experienced this past summer includes:
- $338.8 million in August gaming revenue, representing a 13 percent increase over last year
- $323 million in July gaming revenue, representing a 7.8 percent increase over last year
- $278 million in June gaming revenue, representing a 20.2 percent increase over last year
- Atlantic City has seen an increase of visitors this year, recording nearly 11.5 million toll-paying vehicles for 2019 (as of July), up over four percent from last year.
The casino industry continues to work to solidify the seaside resort’s comeback by diversifying Atlantic City’s offerings, as well as investing hundreds of millions of dollars in redevelopment projects and non-gaming services to attract new visitors. The industry’s efforts have advanced the revitalization of Atlantic City, transforming the city into a business conference destination and first-class resort that features world-class restaurants, entertainment and shopping.