The world’s largest casino company is cautioning investors that online bets might hurt, rather than help, its brick-and-mortar casinos.

Caesars Entertainment, which owns four of Atlantic City’s 12 casinos, wrote in a filing with securities regulators late Wednesday that online gambling could reduce patron visits to its casinos in New Jersey and Nevada, and harm the company’s bottom line.

In a report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Caesars wrote that Internet gambling will compete with the company’s business in Nevada, where online poker is offered, and New Jersey, where all casino games are now available online.

“Caesars will, and other online providers do, offer online gaming options that compete with our live poker offerings in Nevada and New Jersey,” the company wrote. “Expansion of online gaming in Nevada, the commencement and expansion of online gaming in New Jersey and the introduction of online gaming in other jurisdictions may further compete with our operations. Online gaming may reduce customer visitation and spend in our traditional casinos in Nevada and New Jersey, which could have an adverse impact on our business and result of operations.”

It also wrote that its four New Jersey casinos — Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, Caesars Atlantic City, Bally’s Atlantic City and the Showboat Casino Hotel — could be further affected by online bets because all the games they offer at their physical locations can now be played online. Patrons must be within New Jersey’s borders in order to gamble on its websites.

A company spokesman downplayed the warning, telling The Associated Press it had to be included for legal reasons, regardless of how likely or unlikely the company believes a potential risk to be. The filing also listed many other potential risks to its business, including another economic downturn, war, or a terrorist attack. The full story originally appeared on the Sacramento Bee.