In May, New Jersey’s combined revenue from casinos, horse tracks that accept sports bets, and their online partners reached nearly $471 million, according to figures released by state gambling regulators. This figure represents a 9.4% increase from the same period last year, significantly outpacing the $185.8m reported by Michigan’s online gambling sector in the same month.
However, the revenue derived from in-person gamblers, a key metric for casinos, saw a slight dip of 2.4% from a year ago, amounting to $227.3 million. This contrasts with Michigan’s online casino gaming gross receipts, which contributed a substantial $150.6m to the state’s total revenue.
Interestingly, only three of the nine casinos in New Jersey — Borgata, Hard Rock, and Ocean — reported higher earnings from in-person gamblers this May compared to May 2019, before the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. This suggests that while online gambling is thriving, the recovery of in-person gambling to pre-pandemic levels is still a work in progress.
The comparison of these two states’ gambling revenues done by online gambling comparison site aGamble.com highlights the growing importance of online platforms in the gambling industry. While New Jersey’s total gambling revenue surpasses that of Michigan, the latter’s focus on online platforms has allowed it to generate significant revenue, despite having a smaller market.
