Brian Tyrrell, faculty director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism (LIGHT) at Stockton University’s School of Business, commented on the July 2026 gaming numbers released Friday, Aug. 14, by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Here is his statement:
At the peak of summer, Atlantic City’s casino operators realized the best single-month of brick-and-mortar gross revenue since August 2025 and the second highest such return in more than a decade. A fire and flood in the early morning hours of July 27 that resulted in the one-day closure of Ocean Casino Resort could have negatively impacted revenues for the month. However, Ocean and the industry overall seem to have taken the disruption in stride. Atlantic City operators still managed to achieve a 7% year-over-year gross gaming revenue increase for the month. This resilience and growth may have been boosted by activity around the World Cup as tourism volume from neighboring destinations overflowed into Atlantic City.
The World Cup may have also favored Atlantic City’s sportsbooks. In contrast to last month, July’s sports wagering outcomes favored sportsbooks rather than patrons. This resulted in a 33% increase for casino operators year-over-year compared to July 2025 and a 92% increase for casino operators compared to June 2026.
All this while internet gaming continued its double-digit increases, realizing a new single month gross revenue record. It almost goes without saying that amid these gains Atlantic City Operators again set a record for single-month total gross gaming revenue.
As we have learned from experience, such high returns on gross gaming revenues do not always translate to net gaming revenue gains and gross operating profits. Costs of doing business continue to increase and other pressures on the industry may suppress the overall profitability of Atlantic City’s casinos.
