The growth of New Jersey’s Internet gambling market slowed somewhat in its third full month of operation, with the Atlantic City gambling websites posting a nearly 9 percent revenue increase in February.
The 16 online gambling sites had posted a 28 percent gain in January, to $9.5 million. In February, the online sites won $10.3 million.
The numbers released Wednesday by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement show the market starting to plateau. But Brian Mattingly, CEO of 888 Holdings, which partners with Caesars Entertainment to offer online gambling in New Jersey, is pleased with the fledgling market thus far.
“We are delighted with the way it has started,” he said. “All of us got into a good rhythm and started some good marketing. Overall, I’m delighted with where we’re at.”
New Jersey launched Internet gambling in late November as a way to help the struggling brick-and-mortar casinos. It is one of only three states in the nation to offer online gambling, along with Nevada and Delaware.
Including their online gambling operations, Atlantic City’s 11 casinos won $209.4 million in February, a 1.4 percent decline compared to February 2013, when the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel was still open. It shut down in January of this year.
Excluding Internet revenue, the 11 casinos took in just under $200 million in February. That’s down 6.2 percent from a year ago, but only 1.5 percent if the Atlantic Club is excluded.
The Golden Nugget Atlantic City posted the biggest monthly gain, up nearly 26 percent, to $12.5 million. The casino has gone aggressively after former Atlantic Club customers, and experienced a surge in business after its shutdown, to the point where it had to sponsor an emergency job fair to hire at least 100 new employees last month.
