September continues strong betting pattern in A.C., online

It was another strong month for Atlantic City’s casinos, as gaming revenue increased for the 16th consecutive month, according to the Casino Association of New Jersey.

CANJ said this week that, according to the most recent Division of Gaming Enforcement report, revenue in September rose 4.1% year-over-year.

“September marks 16 straight months of increased gaming revenue for Atlantic City casinos,” Steve Callender, CANJ’s president, said in a prepared statement. “We continued to see gains in sports betting and tourism numbers this summer, with gaming revenue increasing over 16% compared to last summer. We believe this excitement will continue into the fall season, as all major sports are in full swing.”

The DGE report showed September revenue reached $283 million, CANJ said, with online gaming responsible for $41 million, up nearly 60% from September 2018. Year-to-date, gaming revenue in the city has reached $2.46 billion.

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Atlantic City’s casinos had a strong month in September.

According to PlayNJ.com, the first month of the NFL season helped boost the state’s sportsbooks to a record handle, as bettors made $445.6 million in wagers, up 142% from the year-ago period.

“New Jersey more than doubled its handle from September 2018, which is staggering growth,” Dusin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayNJ.com, said in a statement. “After such an impressive debut, the question now becomes how much room is there to grow? The upward trajectory will continue, it is just a matter of how steep the growth.”

Sports gaming came to New Jersey in June 2018, and the state has seen $4 billion worth of bets since then, PlayNJ.com said.

The $445.6 million in bets led to a record $37.9 million in revenue, up 59% from September 2018. Nevada generated $571 million in bets for the month, staying ahead of the Garden State in that regard.

The online casino and poker industry, meanwhile, saw $41.14 million in revenue, up 59% from a year ago and just more than August’s $41.1 million figure. Through nine months of the year, the industry has seen $339 million in revenue, more than the $298.7 million generated in all of 2018, PlayNJ.com noted.

“Atlantic City had a strong year, with an increase in gaming revenue and traffic going through the Pleasantville toll plaza throughout the summer; nongaming numbers released thus far also indicate a positive uptick,” Rummy Pandit, executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming Hospitality & Tourism, said in a statement. “These increases are encouraging indicators that the seaside resort destination revenues remain on an upward trajectory.”