Comments from Jane Bokunewicz, faculty director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism (LIGHT), Stockton University School of Business, on the August 2025 numbers released Tuesday by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement:
August 2025’s monthly gross gaming revenues (GGR) came as a breath of fresh air for Atlantic City’s casino operators. The month not only outpaced August 2024 for brick-and-mortar, internet and total GGR but set new near-term, single-month revenue records for these segments.
Summer 2025 (June through August) compared favorably to prior years turning in near-term record total GGR for the period at $1.73 billion — a more than 15% increase over Summer 2024 at $1.5 billion. Summer brick-and-mortar numbers followed a similar trend, improving nearly 6% in June-August 2025 ($855.1 million) compared to June-August 2024 ($810.5 million).
Early this year, concern was raised when internet gaming revenues exceeded brick-and-mortar. The peak summer season in Atlantic City seems to have reversed that trend with June through August revenue at the slots and tables exceeding internet gaming revenue by more than $125 million.
Summer returns seem to have gotten year-to-date revenues back on track after a slow start to the year. Operators will be facing fall and winter 2025 with a 2.8% year-over-year cushion, which is a stark contrast to August 2024 when operators lagged year-to-date August 2023 ($1.93 billion) by -0.2%.
It is too soon to say if summer headwinds will carry the industry to year-end GGR growth and what impact this will have on the industry’s bottom line in terms of net revenues and the only too important gross operating profit. Jane Bokunewicz can be reached at jane.bokunewicz@stockton.edu
