It should come as no surprise that Atlantic City gaming revenue declined in 2020.

The city’s nine casinos were closed for over 100 days to slow the spread of COVID-19. When the casinos eventually reopened, they did so without indoor dining, live entertainment or conventions. A 25% capacity limit has been in place since the summer.

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Given all the industry endured in 2020, a 19.5% decline in year-over-year total gaming revenue was not unexpected. However, it is a result that could have been much worse if not for online casino and sports betting.

Breaking down total gaming revenue

Atlantic City’s casino industry reported $2.65 billion in total gaming revenue last year, according to data released Wednesday by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. That figure represents combined revenue from casino win (table games and slot machines), NJ online gaming, and sports betting.

In 2019, the industry reported $3.3 billion in gambling revenue.

Eye-popping growth in NJ online revenue (+101%) and a sizeable increase from sports betting (+35.6%) helped cushion the blow from a $1.17 billion (-43.7%) drop in revenue of brick-and-mortar casino win in 2020.

Internet gaming revenue accounted for $970.3 million, or 36.6%, of the industry total in 2020. Sports generated $166.3 million in revenue from both online and in-person bets.

2020 was a bust for Atlantic City casinos

NJ Gov. Phil Murphyordered Atlantic City’s casinos to close on March 16. They were not allowed to reopen until July 2.

The nearly four-month shutdown of the casinos had a disastrous effect on annual table game and slot machine revenue.

Borgata, the last property to reopen, and Golden Nugget both saw their casino win cut in half. Borgata’s $337.6 million was still more than $110 million better than the closest competitor. However, it was 52.4% decline from 2019. The Nugget’s casino win fell 52.2%, from $199 million in 2019 to $95 million last year.

Hard Rock Atlantic City ($224.8 million, -30.6%) and Ocean Casino Resort ($183.6 million, -14.9%) reported the smallest declines. As a result, the two properties were second and third, respectively, in the AC market in table game and slot revenue.

The three Atlantic City properties operated by Caesars Entertainment Inc. all reported casino win declines of more than 40% in 2020.

Caesars, $151.2 million, -44.2%
Harrah’s Resort, $165.9 million, -46.8%
Tropicana, $159.6 million, -47.3%

Bally’s casino win fell by 45.9% last year, from $176 million to $95.3 million. Resorts went from $176.4 million in 2019 to $99.5 million (-43.6%).

COVID stopped AC’s ‘positive momentum’

Until March, Atlantic City was riding a hot streak: 21-consecutive months of year-over-year increases in total gaming revenue.

NJ Casino Control Commission Chairman James Plousis lamented COVID-19’s impact on the gaming industry. He noted that entering 2020, “Atlantic City had marked four straight years of revenue growth and it was enjoying a lot of positive momentum.”

“Significant revenue was lost in those early months and, throughout the second half of the year, the resurging public health crisis continued to impact business in Atlantic City,” said Plousis.

In an interview with PlayNJ, Resorts CEO and President Mark Giannantonio described 2020 as “the most difficult experience that I’ve ever been through in 30-plus years of being in gaming.”

“However, I’m optimistic,” Giannantonio said, adding that once the COVID-19 vaccine has been widely distributed, Atlantic City casinos “will be well prepared to deal with (the) pent-up demand.”

Plousis said the city will be “ready to restore its recent positive momentum” as things return to some semblance of normalcy.

AC’s ‘silver lining’

Jane Bokunewicz, coordinator of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University, said she thought there could be a silver lining from 2020. The COVID crisis, she said, was “an opportunity to examine (businesses’) relationships with consumers and consider ways to serve them better.”

“Crisis has strained the industry, tested the resilience of many businesses, but it has also been the catalyst for significant changes, strengthening the industry and positioning it for successful recovery in 2021,” Bokunewicz said. “Once the vaccine is widely distributed and consumer confidence returns, Atlantic City will be ready to serve visitors’ pent up demand for human connection and quality life experiences.”

Atlantic City has been the home of a rotating network of casino properties and resorts since gambling was legalized in the late 1970s.

The hotels offered by these resorts range from five-star luxury to basic economy. Prices during the week are substantially lower than weekends. The best nights in terms of price are usually Sunday through Wednesday. Thursday may be moderately expensive compared to early weekdays. Saturday is by far the most expensive night of the week in Atlantic City, followed by Friday.

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There are nine Atlantic City casinos open. Three are owned by CaesarsEntertainment (Caesars sold Bally’s in 2020 but the sale is pending):

Bally’s
Caesars
Harrah’s

MGM Resorts owns the top-grossing casino-hotel, Borgata. ElDorado Resorts operates the Tropicana Atlantic City after a sale of the property in early 2018. Golden Nugget is owned by Landry’s Inc., and Resorts is independently owned.

Borgata, Golden Nugget and Harrah’s are in the Marina District. Bally’s, Caesars, Resorts, and Tropicana are on the Boardwalk.

In 2018, two casinos opened in preexisting, refurbished properties. Ocean Casino Resort, the former Revel, opened its doors the same day as Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, which reopened in the former Trump Taj Mahal property.

For information about gambling revenue in Atlantic City, click here.

Atlantic City casinos in 2021

Here is a brief rundown of the nine casinos in Atlantic City:

Bally’s

Bally’s is on the Boardwalk and offers more than 100 table games and a poker room. Its hotel is perfect for budget-minded travelers. Wild Wild West, found along the Bo

Ne Casinos Atlantic City