New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has indicated that he would consider opening the casino gaming market beyond Atlantic City onto the central and northern parts of the Garden State. Murphy's remarks come amid growing concern about increased competition across the Hudson River in New York, where state legislators are looking to approve up to three full-scale casinos in or near New York City.
Key Takeaways
- New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said he will consider expanding gambling beyond Atlantic City.
- The move comes as a response to the potential competitive threat of three casinos in the New York City area.
- Despite ballot rejection in 2016, market forces continue to propel the state's casino expansion case.
When interviewed by The Press of Atlantic City, Gov. Murphy admitted to the potential threat this movement would pose to Atlantic City's financial health. However, he stressed how significant it was to retain gaming and tourism dollars in New Jersey, especially if New York's new casinos would be appropriating a substantial percentage of the existing customer base.
Murphy called his position pragmatic and continued that New Jersey must be pragmatic in a bid to retain its market share under pressure from the outside.
Gov. Murphy was adamant that whatever growth did occur would have to be closely monitored for its broader economic impact. While Atlantic City has lately been showing signs of a strong rebound, particularly over the high summer season, the governor was eager to protect its gains even as he looked to other parts of the state for new sources of revenue.
Although no official proposal exists, Gov. Murphy's willingness is a shift in tone from prior state policy. In 2016, New Jersey voters rejected a ballot question to allow casinos outside of Atlantic City by nearly four-to-one. Despite that defeat, the casino expansion case has continued to advance due to changing market forces and increasing competition from bordering states.
Atlantic City casinos record highest revenue growth in May
The Atlantic City casino market reported strong financial results for May as the city's nine casinos contributed $265.3 million in land-based gaming revenue. The reports indicate a 10.9% increase from May 2024 and a 20% gain from April 2025, the year's highest monthly performance.
Statewide total gaming revenue in May for the retail casinos, racetracks, and their internet partners combined was $614.7 million, 20.5% higher than its year-earlier equivalent. Internet gaming generated $246.8 million, a 28.5% increase year over year and a state internet gaming business record for the month.
Sports betting also increased in May, reaching $1 billion in wagers, which yielded $102.5 million in revenue, a 30.2% increase from May 2024.
New Jersey's gaming revenue year-to-date through May amounted to $2.74 billion, an increase of 6.6% compared to last year. Overall, online gaming is still slightly ahead of retail casino revenue. Year-to-date iGaming revenue is $1.16 billion and retail casino revenue is $1.12 billion.
May figures also indicate a better performance than before the pandemic. Casino revenue for May 2019 was $222.9 million, and in-person revenue for May 2018 was $193.3 million.
