In September, New Jersey’s online casinos won more money than every casino floor in Atlantic City combined. The September 2026 figures from the Division of Gaming Enforcement show internet gaming win of $274.8 million, up 13% on a year earlier, against $227.8 million from the nine casino hotels on the Boardwalk.
That gap is no longer a quirk of a quiet month. It is the shape of the market, and it tells players where the competition for their money is going to be fiercest in 2026.
September 2026 in numbers: online up, tables down
Total gaming revenue rose 2.8% to $579.6 million. Almost all of that growth came from online gaming.
| September 2026 | Win | Change vs. Sept 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Online casino (internet gaming) | $274.8M | +13.0% |
| Atlantic City casino floors | $227.8M | -1.3% |
| Sports wagering revenue | $77.0M | -14.3% |
| Total gaming revenue | $579.6M | +2.8% |
Inside the casino buildings the story split in two. Slot win rose 4.6% to $177.9 million, while table games fell 17.6% to $49.9 million. Borgata, still the city’s biggest earner, took $55.7 million, down 11.3%, with its table win nearly halved. Stockton University analyst Brian Tyrrell called it one of the worst Septembers in recent history for the floors.
Online, it was the third-best month New Jersey has ever recorded, behind only July ($276.9 million) and May ($276.3 million) this year. Year to date, internet gaming win stands at $2.40 billion, up 13.2%, against $2.24 billion from the casinos, up 1.4%.
Who is winning the online casino race
The leaderboard has barely moved at the top, but the chasing pack is closing.
- FanDuel Casino: $57.8M, up 2.1%
- DraftKings Casino: $53.3M, up 9.9%
- BetMGM Casino: $35.4M, up 16.7%
- Borgata Online: $22.0M, up X%
- Caesars Palace Online: $20.2M
- Fanatics Casino: $14.7M, up 187.4%
FanDuel’s growth has slowed to a crawl, while BetMGM is growing eight times as fast. The standout is Fanatics, which nearly tripled its take in a year. It is still a fraction of FanDuel’s size, but a brand that grows that quickly is buying market share, and in this business market share is bought with promotions.
Why the sportsbooks had a bad month, and why bettors didn’t
Sports wagering revenue fell 14.3% to $77.0 million even though handle only slipped 3.6% to $1.09 billion. The difference was football. Books kept just 1.3% of the $318.8 million bet on football, compared with 4.8% a year earlier. Results went the bettors’ way, and the house paid out.
There was also one fewer football weekend in September than in 2024. A low-hold month is a reminder that sportsbook revenue swings with results, which is why operators lean on their casinos to steady the books. Tyrrell also pointed to prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket as a possible drain on regulated betting, a fight New Jersey is still having in court. We cover where that stands in our prediction markets guide.
Our view: what this means for New Jersey players
Three things follow from these numbers, and all of them matter to anyone holding an online casino account in the state.
Welcome offers will stay generous. When the sixth-placed operator grows 187% and the third-placed grows 17%, the leaders cannot sit still. Expect more lossback deals, free spins with lower wagering requirements and loyalty perks aimed at players who already have three or four apps on their phone. Our NJ casino bonus guide tracks which of those offers are worth taking.
Table players are moving online, not leaving. A 17.6% fall in table win on the Boardwalk sits alongside record online months. Live dealer blackjack and roulette now do what the pit used to: a real dealer, a real shoe, from the sofa. If you play tables, compare live dealer casinos in NJ on limits and side bets before you deposit.
Tax pressure is real, but players have not felt it yet. New Jersey raised its tax on online casino revenue from 15% to 19.75% on July 1, 2025. September’s comparison is like for like, so the 13% growth came after the increase. Operators have absorbed it so far. If the rate climbs again, the first thing to go is usually bonus generosity.
Looking to 2026: a $3.2 billion online market
At its current pace, New Jersey’s online casino win will finish 2027 at around $3.2 billion. That is our projection, simply extending the nine-month total of $2.40 billion over twelve months, and the strong months of May and July suggest it is not optimistic.
On those numbers, 2027 is likely to be the first year the gap between online and land-based win becomes impossible to ignore in Trenton. We expect three debates to dominate: whether the state should push the online tax rate higher again, how Atlantic City properties respond with hotel, dining and entertainment rather than gaming alone, and how far responsible gambling rules tighten as more money moves to apps.
For players, the practical takeaway is simple. The best value in New Jersey gambling right now sits with the operators fighting for second place, not the leader. Shop around, read the wagering terms and keep your limits set. The full list of licensed operators is on our New Jersey online casinos page, and the state’s rules are explained in our guide to whether gambling is legal in NJ.
If gambling stops being fun, call 1-800-GAMBLER for free, confidential help, or see our responsible gambling page.
