NJ Gaming Hits $606M Record in July as Sweeps Casinos Banned

New Jersey’s gaming industry recorded its best month ever in July, pulling in over $606 million in total revenue across all channels. At the same time, the state passed a major gambling reform by banning sweepstakes casinos and proxy betting under a new law signed by Governor Phil Murphy.

The Division of Gaming Enforcement reported that online casinos drove much of the growth, collecting $247.3 million—surpassing May’s previous record and marking a 26.6% year-over-year increase. July’s figure also rose 7.2% from June.

So far in 2025, online casinos have earned $1.63 billion, up 23.3% compared to the same period in 2024. Operators paid $48.9 million in taxes for July, raising the annual total to $256.4 million.

FanDuel led digital earnings with $52.1 million—its fifth straight month above $50 million—up 37.8% from the prior year. DraftKings followed with $48.6 million, while BetMGM posted $31.4 million. Caesars Palace Online set a new personal record at $18.7 million, up 53.3%. Fanatics Casino hit an all-time high of $12.4 million.

Land-Based Casinos Hold Strong

Brick-and-mortar casinos also gained ground, bringing in $284.1 million, up 4.3% from July 2024. Borgata topped the list with $79.9 million, followed by Hard Rock at $55.1 million and Ocean Casino Resort at $43.1 million.

“Atlantic City’s solid summer season continued in July,” said Casino Control Commission Chair James Plousis, adding that in-person revenue through July had hit $1.66 billion—its best since 2013.

Jane Bokunewicz of Stockton University noted that the month marked “a new near-term, single-month total gross gaming revenue record with more than $577 million generated from all revenue streams.”

Sports Betting Dips, While Proxy Bets and Sweepstakes Get Axed

Sports betting saw a decline, generating $74.8 million—a 6.6% drop from July 2024—though the month’s total handle still topped $664 million. This pushed 2025’s betting volume to more than $6.7 billion.

On August 15, Governor Murphy signed Assembly Bill 5447 into law, banning sweepstakes casinos and proxy bets. The law defines sweepstakes gambling as “a promotional, advertising, or marketing event… in which something of value… is awarded,” often using a dual-currency model.

Violators could face fines of $100,000 for a first offense and $250,000 for repeat violations. Enforcement authority now rests with the Division of Gaming Enforcement and Division of Consumer Affairs.

New Jersey became the sixth state this year to target sweepstakes casinos, following bans or crackdowns in Connecticut, Montana, Nevada, New York, and Louisiana. Regulators in several of those states issued cease-and-desist orders to major operators like Virtual Gaming Worlds, prompting them to exit key markets.

Despite opposition from the Social and Promotional Games Association, which argued the games are legal and offer free play, regulators insist the measures are necessary.

“These actions send a clear message,” said Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chair Christopher Hebert. “Louisiana will not tolerate illegal operators who put our citizens at risk and undermine the fairness and integrity of our gaming industry.”

Source:

“New Jersey Sets $606M July Gaming Record, Enacts Sweeps Ban”, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, August 17, 2025