New Jersey gambling figures down in February
February was a disappointing month for sports betting and casino gambling in New Jersey, but igaming performed strongly.
US.- New Jersey’s gambling figures were down in February despite the Super Bowl and an increase in casinos capacity limits.
According to figures released by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the state’s sports betting handle in February was $743m, down from $996m in January. However, that was still a substantial increase on the $200m wagered in February 2020.
The state’s casinos and racetracks took $46m in revenue, up from $17m in February 2020.
Internet gambling performed strongly, up by 80 per cent year-over-year. The boost in igaming helped replace revenues lost in sports betting and the retail casino industry.
Spending at casinos was down 32 per cent when compared with the same month in 2020 before the pandemic caused widespread shutdowns. This year, casinos were running at 25 per cent capacity until February 5, when lawmakers increased capacity to 35 per cent.
Chair of the state Casino Control Commission, James Plousis, said: “Casino win could not compare to the pre-pandemic results of last year, before restrictions on capacity, amenities and entertainment were implemented.”
“Gov. Murphy’s order that increases indoor casino occupancy to 50% later this week will help speed the casinos’ recovery. Atlantic City has been successful minimizing risk to visitors during the pandemic, and it is ready to move forward safely.”
