New Jersey Reaches $606M Gaming Record, Enforces Sweepstakes Casino Ban

July 2025 proved to be a pivotal month for New Jersey’s gambling industry, combining historic revenue highs with one of the strictest legislative crackdowns in recent years. According to data from the Division of Gaming Enforcement, the state recorded $606 million in total revenue across all gambling verticals, while Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill 5447 into law, banning sweepstakes casinos and proxy betting.

The online casino segment once again led the way. Operators produced $247.3 million in July, surpassing May’s $246.8 million record. Compared to July 2024, that was a 26.6% increase, and it marked a 7.2% rise over June 2025.

Cumulatively, the digital market has generated $1.63 billion during the first seven months of 2025, reflecting growth of 23.3% year-over-year. Online revenue has now remained above $200 million for eleven consecutive months. State coffers also benefitted, with $48.9 million collected in taxes in July alone, pushing the 2025 total past $256 million.

FanDuel maintained its dominance, posting $52.1 million in July, a 37.8% increase compared with last year. That performance has allowed the operator to stay ahead of DraftKings by nearly $35 million in year-to-date revenue. DraftKings followed with $48.6 million, BetMGM delivered $31.4 million, and Caesars Palace Online reported a personal best of $18.7 million, up 53.3% from 2024. Hard Rock earned $13.4 million, while Fanatics Casino hit its highest return so far with $12.4 million.

Brick-and-mortar casinos also posted strong results. Land-based revenue rose 4.3% year-on-year to $284.1 million. Borgata remained the market leader with $79.9 million, followed by Hard Rock’s $55.1 million and Ocean Casino Resort’s $43.1 million.

James Plousis, chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, observed: “Atlantic City’s solid summer season continued in July.” He noted that land-based gambling revenue of $1.66 billion for the year through July was the strongest since 2013.

Jane Bokunewicz, director of Stockton University’s Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism, pointed out to the Press of Atlantic City that the state “started the third quarter on a high note, setting a new near-term, single-month total gross gaming revenue record with more than $577 million generated from all revenue streams, beating out last August’s $528.5 million single-month high.”

Sports betting declined modestly, generating $74.8 million in July, down 6.6% from last year, though betting handle exceeded $664 million, pushing the year-to-date total beyond $6.7 billion.

The financial success of July coincided with the signing of , which formally bans sweepstakes casinos and proxy betting in New Jersey. Murphy approved the measure on August 15 after weeks of deliberation.

The bill defines sweepstakes gambling as “a promotional, advertising, or marketing event, contest, or game, whether played online or in-person, in which something of value, such as a prize or prize equivalent, is awarded, either directly or indirectly through means such as a dual-currency system of payment that allows a participant to exchange the currency for a prize or prize equivalent.”

Violators face steep penalties, starting with $100,000 fines for first-time offenses and escalating to $250,000 for repeat violations. The law also empowers regulators to pursue injunctions and broadens the definition of gambling to cover trading or selling something of value tied to uncertain outcomes. Proxy wagers above $1,000, use of another person’s account, and insider betting are now explicitly outlawed.

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Opposition to the law has been vocal. The Social and Promotional Games Association argued earlier this year that it “seeks to outlaw promotional sweepstakes platforms that are already legal, do not require purchase to play, and are enjoyed responsibly by millions of adults across the country.” Critics also warn that the broad definition could push players toward unregulated sites.

In anticipation of the ban, Virtual Gaming Worlds () pulled its Chumba Casino and Luckyland Casino offerings from New Jersey in July, also  while facing scrutiny in other states like Mississippi and Delaware.

The legislation makes New Jersey the first U.S. state to impose a direct prohibition on sweepstakes casinos, reflecting a broader wave of restrictions nationwide. Six states, including Connecticut, Montana, and Nevada, have passed legislation in 2025 affecting sweepstakes operations, with other bills still pending in New York, Louisiana, and California.

The American Gaming Association has also weighed in, releasing a survey that found 59% of sweepstakes players consider the activity “definitely gambling,” while 31% said “probably gambling,” leaving only 10% who claimed it was not. Meanwhile, the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance, led by former congressman Jeff Duncan and supported by VGW, continues to campaign against the bans. Duncan said: “These bills may have passed the Legislature, but they’re the wrong solution to a misunderstood issue. We urge Governor Murphy to veto A5447 and S4282 and convene a real conversation about consumer protection, innovation and economic opportunity.”

Despite these challenges, state officials insist the ban is essential to protect the regulated market and maintain integrity. For New Jersey, July was a month of both unprecedented revenue and sweeping regulatory change, signaling the state’s dual role as a market leader and strict enforcer.

Source:

““, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, August 16, 2025