Atlantic City posts record January gaming revenue amid online surge

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It was a steady start to 2026 for Atlantic City’s land-based casinos as nine properties combined to produce roughly $213.3 million in January, marking a 1.6% rise from the same month a year earlier and the highest January tally on record for the city.

Boat on the shore with Atlantic City written on it as its gaming revenue hits record

Key Takeaways:

  • Nine Atlantic City casinos report highest January gaming revenue on record
  • Slot machines drive overall gains while table games decline
  • Online gaming continues to bolster the market alongside retail recovery

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) reported that slot machines drove the gain while table games softened, and notable year-over-year increases at Hard Rock and Caesars contrasted with declines at Borgata and Tropicana.

Online gaming generated $258.9 million, underscoring the continued strength of iGaming alongside a recovering retail sector. 

The results evidence market stabilization after pandemic-era disruptions. 

Property performance splits across casinos

Performance varied across the board: Hard Rock posted the largest retail win increase, while Borgata, historically the leader, logged a decline versus January 2025. 

Ocean and Bally’s recorded modest gains, but Tropicana and Golden Nugget slipped. 

Data from the DGE show January has typically been a soft month for brick-and-mortar in gaming revenue, with summer months driving peaks; August 2025, for example, registered substantially higher gaming revenue.

Online gaming revenue offsets retail softness

New Jersey closed 2025 with a landmark result: Online casinos generated $2.91 billion for the year, edging past Atlantic City’s retail casinos for the first time and accounting for roughly 41% of total statewide gaming revenue. 

The near-term outlook hinges on seasonal demand and event-driven visitation that helped several casinos widen their margins in January.