James Plousis, chairman of the Casino Control Commission said the numbers are a surprise to no one as the direct outcome of casino shutdowns. “I know that, at this time, the paramount concern for all of the casino licensees in Atlantic City is the safety of their employees and customers," he says. "I share their concern.” Sports gambling revenue was also hugely impacted as the Coronavirus outbreak cancelled professional and amateur leagues, leading to a revenue of only $6.4 million, a 44% decrease compared to March of 2019.
Meanwhile, due to casino closures, New Jersey’s gamblers have clearly turned to online gaming as numbers demonstrated a $65 million win for Atlantic City’s casinos online, a 65% increase from March 2019. “Online casinos can’t sustain the industry forever, but those with the healthiest online products should be in the best position to emerge from these incredible circumstances, and the tax revenue from online casinos is welcome when so much pressure has been put on the state budget,” said Eric Ramsey, an online gaming analyst for PlayNJ.com.
