Atlantic City casinos made a big comeback last month, the latest numbers show.
Gross gaming revenue broke a nearly decade-old record set in July 2011, one expert noted after the Division of Gaming Enforcement released the numbers Friday.
June's $345.7 million GGR surpass the previous record of $340.5 million, or about 1½ percent, noted Jane Bokunewicz, faculty director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism.
The numbers include both in-person and internet gambling.
But brick-and-mortar casinos did see a pattern of recovery after reopening following COVID closures, Bokunewicz said.
June saw a .6 percent increase over the previous month with a $214.5 million win compared to $213.15 million in May.
June was the fourth consecutive month of growth.
In the past six years, only June 2019 did better, at $236 million, Bokunewicz said.
Total gaming revenue including the state's three racetracks was $392.8 million for June compared to $97.6 million last June.
But the DGE notes those numbers are not comparable, since COVID shuttered Atlantic City's casinos starting at 8 p.m. March 16, 2020.
While internet gaming and online sports wagering continued, most of those sports events were canceled beginning in mid-March of last year.
Internet gaming revenue growth did slow with in-person gaming's return, but it still continues to increase year-over-year, Bokunewicz said.
This "suggests the market has not yet reached its full potential," she added.
That both internet and brick-and-mortar gaming continues to grow shows the importance of diversifying the offerings, Bokunewicz said.
"Casino patrons don't have to visit the casino in-person in order to gamble," she noted. "The fact that they are visiting suggests they are getting more out of the experience than gambling alone. This would be good news for operators and also shows the benefits of diversifying the city’s entertainment options and other non-gaming amenities.
