April 2023
In LIGHT of the data.
While April 2023 fell just shy of April 2022 for brick-and-mortar gross gaming revenue (down 1.6%), it set a new near-term record for total April GGR for Atlantic City’s casino operators ($420.9 million in April 2023 compared to $386.8 million in April 2022).
At $1.62 billion, Atlantic City’s gaming operators broke last year’s near-term April year-to-date total GGR record of $1.46 billion and, in the first four months of 2023 (traditionally some of the slowest of the entire year), Atlantic City’s casino operators generated nearly half ($1.65 billion of $3.29 billion 2019 year-end) of the total GGR generated in the whole of 2019.
Strong gross gaming revenue (GGR) does not always translate into strong net revenue or gross operating profits (GOP). But in this instance, near-term record GGR in January, February and March resulted in a new high for first-quarter net revenue ($756.6 million) — surpassing the previous record ($723.2 million) from last year.
At $135 million, GOP for the period did not exceed first quarter 2022 ($159 million),
but easily outperformed 2021 ($95.5 million) and 2019 ($85.7 million).
If first-quarter, net-revenue performance gives us a first look at the upcoming tourism
season, then we should expect to see continued efforts from operators as they seek
to find their stride in managing the resurgence in consumer demand, the lingering
labor shortage and the higher cost of labor (due to last summer’s Local 54 contract
negotiation) — all of which are likely to impact the revenue/expense balance of the
industry in coming months.
Atlantic City Gaming Win & Total Casino Revenue
Source: N.J. Division of Gaming Enforcement
| Monthly Revenue (Casino Licensees, $ In Thousands |
April 2023 |
% Change from Prior Year | April 2022 | YTD
April 2023 |
% Change from Prior Year | YTD April 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Gaming Win (includes Internet & Sports Wagering) | $420,924 | 8.8% | $386,757 | $1,624,850 | 10.8% | $1,466,489 |
| Sports Wagering Revenue | $30,513 | 109.2% | $14,583 | $117,976 | 61.3% | $73,163 |
| Internet Gaming Win | $158,937 | 16.1% | $136,883 | $620,108 | 13.7% | $545,364 |
| Casino Gaming Win | $231,474 | -1.6% | $235,290 | $886,766 | 4.6% | $847,962 |
| Quarterly Revenue (Industry, $ In Thousands)** | Q1 2023 | % Change from Prior Year | Q1 2022 | YTD March 31, 2023 | % Change from Prior Year | YTD March 31, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino | $419,324 | -6.5% | $448.34 | $419,324 | -6.5% | $448.34 |
| Rooms | $139,649 | 17.0% | $119.40 | $139,649 | 17.0% | $119.40 |
| Food & Beverage | $129,135 | 24.5% | $103.71 | $129,135 | 24.5% | $103.71 |
| Entertainment & Other | $68,530 | 32.5% | $51.73 | $68,530 | 32.5% | $51.73 |
| Casino Licensees Total Revenue | $756,638 | 4.6% | $723.18 | $756,638 | 4.6% | $723.18 |
| Gross Operating Profit (GOP) | $135,436 | -14.8% | $159.02 | $135,436 | -14.8% | $159.02 |
** Data agregated from New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Quarterly Financial Reports for individual properties, includes amended totals as of April 13, 2023. May not match totals from Quarterly Press Releases and Statistical Summaries, which represent a 'snapshot' of data at the time of publication and are not retroactively updated.
Atlantic City Hotel Lodging
Source: N.J. Division of Gaming Enforcement
| Casino Hotel Lodging Statistics For the Period Ended March 31, 2023 & 2022 |
Q1 2023 | Q1 2022 | YTD 2023 | YTD 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupancy percentage | 65.18% | 63.05% | 65.18% | 63.05% |
| Average Daily Room Rate (ADR) | $156.52 | $152.20 | $156.52 | $152.20 |
| Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)* | $102.02 | $95.96 | $102.02 | $95.96 |
* RevPAR= ADR X Occupancy Percentage
Atlantic City Statistical Transportation Data
Source: South Jersey Transportation Authority
| Travel Mode | March 2023 |
Change from Prior Year |
March 2022 |
YTD March 2023 |
Change from Prior Year |
YTD March 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Expressway | ||||||
| Total Toll-Paying Traffic Pleasantville Toll Plaza |
1,408,432 | 4.0% | 1,354,835 | 3,835,207 | 6.4% | 3,604,463 |
| AC Airport | ||||||
| Scheduled Service Passengers | 69,408 | -5.0% | 73,019 | 185,010 | -3.8% | 192,343 |
| Charter Passengers | 10,280 | 0.2% | 10,256 | 23,900 | -0.6% | 24,033 |
| Total Air Passengers | 79,688 | -4.3% | 83,275 | 208,910 | -3.5% | 216,376 |
Atlantic City Meetings and Conventions Data
Source: VistAC
| April '23 | April '22 | % Change from Prior Year |
TOTAL 2023 YTD |
TOTAL 2022 YTD |
% Change from Prior Year |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventions/Tradeshows/Meetings* | ||||||
| # of Shows | 6 | 9 | -33% | 31 | 27 | 15% |
| # of Room Nights | 7,938 | 10,322 | -23% | 46,618 | 40,844 | 14% |
| # of Delegates | 29,079 | 29,347 | -1% | 263,676 | 203,713 | 29% |
| Delegate Spending | $7,500,589 | $7,504,233 | 0% | $57,383,637 | $40,064,786 | 43% |
| Boardwalk Hall Bookings | ||||||
| # of Shows | 2 | 2 | 0% | 12 | 9 | 33% |
| # of Attendees | 8,983 | 10,268 | -13% | 65,827 | 55,149 | 19% |
| Hotel Bookings | ||||||
| # of Shows | 14 | 12 | 17% | 38 | 36 | 6% |
| # of Room Nights | 5,612 | 4,428 | 27% | 25,675 | 30,271 | -15% |
| # of Attendees** | 6,848 | 10,420 | -34% | 27,617 | 47,523 | -42% |
| Delegate Spending | $3,201,881 | $3,743,569 | -14% | $15,883,973 | $21,443,060 | -26% |
| Monthly Totals | ||||||
| # Convs_Trade_Mtgs / Boardwalk Hall / Hotel | 22 | 23 | -4% | 81 | 72 | 13% |
| # of Room Nights | 13,550 | 14,750 | -8% | 72,293 | 71,115 | 2% |
| # of Attendees | 44,910 | 50,035 | -10% | 357,120 | 306,385 | 17% |
| Delegate Spending | $10,702,470 | $11,247,802 | -5% | $73,267,610 | $61,507,846 | 19% |
Notes:
*Includes Visit Atlantic City events booked at Boardwalk Hall
**January 2023 vs January 2022 Hotel Attendee variance is due to an event moved from hotel venue in 2022 to Boardwalk Hall* in 2023
LIGHT Snapshots is a publication of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality
& Tourism, Stockton University School of Business
Jane Bokunewicz, Ph. D., Faculty Director and Associate Professor of Hospitality
Atlantic City Information
Atlantic City Housing Authority names new executive director - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, former CRDA leader Matt Doherty has been named the new executive director of the Atlantic City Housing Authority. Thomas Sahlin, the executive director of the Asbury Park Housing Authority, has been named chief operating officer.
Atlantic City unveils 'Dr. Harvey Kesselman Way' - On April 27, a new street sign was unveiled designating a portion of Albany Avenue, adjacent to the Stockton Atlantic City Residential Complex, as 'Dr. Harvey Kesselman Way.' The Atlantic City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to rename the block at a meeting in December. Dr. Kesselman will retire as Stockton’s fifth president on June 30. Coverage by The Press of Atlantic City.
Moody's upgrades Stockton University's bond rating, cites successful Atlantic City expansion -Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded Stockton University’s bond rating to A3 from Baa1 with a stable outlook. The upgrade was driven by material strengthening in wealth and liquidity, successful execution of the Stockton Atlantic City Phase II expansion, and consistently sound earnings margins. Read the Stockton University news release.
Statewide North2Shore Festival to kick off in Atlantic City - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, the month-long North2Shore Festival, a statewide celebration of music and the arts, presented by the NJ Performing Arts Center, will kick off in Atlantic City from June 4 to 11 before moving to Asbury Park (June 14 to 18) and Newark (June 21 to 25).
Stockton University Atlantic City Community Day draws 700 volunteers, cleans nine sites and beach - According to an April 25 news release from Stockton University, approximately 700 members of the community including Stockton faculty, staff and students came out for the second annual Community Day Cleanup and Party in the Park on Saturday, April 22. Volunteers collected trash in nine city locations and along the beach before joining the Party in (O'Donnell) Park. The party featured over 56 different vendors and community organizations along with a DJ, a live jazz band, food trucks, outdoor games, face painting and an artist and crafters village. Coverage by The Press of Atlantic City.
New Jersey Gaming News
26th East Coast Gaming Congress - Gaming industry stakeholders gathered April 19 and 20 to participate in the 26th annual East Coast Gaming Congress. Major topics of discussion included responsible gaming, sports betting advertising and the impact of New York casinos. Coverage by The Press of Atlantic City, NJBiz, Casino.org and The Associated Press.
Caesars Entertainment announces relaunch of Tropicana branded online casino - In an April 5 news release, Caesars Entertainment announched the relaunch of Tropicana Online Casino in the state of New Jersey. Matthew Sunderland, senior vice president of iGaming at Caesars Digital, called the relaunch “an important step in our progression toward providing valued customers with the best iGaming products in the industry."
Resorts Casino Hotel to celebrate 45th Anniversary - Resorts Casino Hotel announced plans to celebrate its 45th year in operation in Atlantic City with festivities beginning May 26. Further reporting by Casino.org.
United States Department of Justice (DOJ) asked to crack down on illegal offshore gambling sites - As reported by Casino.org and Legal Sports Report, state gaming regulators from New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Michighan, Mississippi, and Nevada have petitioned the DOJ to combat unregulated, offshore gaming websites. On April 28, the executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, Henry Williams, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland asking the agency to make tackling offshore sportsbooks and online casinos a priority.
National Gaming News
American Gaming Association (AGA) releases Diversity Report - In an April 6 news release, the AGA announced the publication of new research examining workplace diversity in the gaming industry. The study found that the gaming industry is more diverse than the hospitality sector and U.S. workforce overall, and that there has been a 20% increase in workforce diversity in the industry over the past decade. Gaming industry employees are 61% minorities and 48% female, however at the highest levels of leadership the industry still trails the national and hospitality industry workforce in terms of gender diversity. Executive/Senior Level Officials & Managers were only 30% female in the gaming industry compared to 32.1% nationally and 35.0% in hospitality.
Coney Island Community Board opposes plans for casino - As reported by Casino.org, government-appointed members of a board representing the Brooklyn beach town's interests have expressed their opposition to plans to build a $3 billion casino resort in the community. The casino proposal was put forward by New York real estate giant Thor Equities, a group that includes Saratoga Casino Holdings, the Chickasaw Nation, and Legends Hospitality.
Maryland passes law limiting college sports betting partnerships - According to Legal Sports Report, Maryland legislators passed Senate Bill 620 requiring schools to disclose the full terms of any partnership with a sports betting company and placing other restrictions of partnership deals. The law is the first of its kind in the country, although several states may be considering simmilar protections as concerns rise over the impact of sports betting on college sports.
Ohio sports betting regulators suspend wagering on University of Alabama baseball team - According to Legal Sports Report, after discovering suspicious betting activity around the University of Alabama baseball team, sports betting regulators in Ohio suspended wagering on the team. As of May 5, other jurisdictions were monitoring and some chose to pause all bets on the team pending further investigation. The University of Alabama fired the team's head coach. Further reporting by ESPN.
Pennsylvania breaks all-time single month gross gaming revenue record in March 2023 - As reported by Casino.org, Pennsylvania's gaming operators generated a record $515.3 million in gross gaming revenue in March 2023 surpassing the previous record, $462.7 million, set in March 2022.
Hospitality & Tourism News
Cape May Brewing to buy Flying Fish - According to an April 24 news release, Cape May Brewing Company plans to acquire Camden County-based Flying Fish Brewing Company. The purchase will increase Cape May Brewing's warehouse and production space and helps to grow the company's product portfolio. Flying Fish will continue to be distributed by its wholesale distributor partners and Cape May will continue operating at its existing locations. Coverage by The Press of Atlantic City.
"Condo-tel" transformation planned for former Atlantic Club casino - As reported by Casino.org, owners of the former casino, shuttered since January 2014, plan to redevelop the property for mixed-use with 130 luxury condos and a 330 room boutique hotel. Further reporting from PlayNJ.
Dave & Busters to open Atlantic City location by October 2023 - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City and Courier Post, Dave & Busters is planning a location in Tanger Outlets The Walk, which would open by Oct. 16. The 21,187-square-foot restaurant and entertainment center may be part of a larger trend of indoor entertainment venues focused on drawing a broader range of age groups proliferating in South Jersey. See coverage from the Courier Post.
Nevada Resort Association releases bi-annual impact report - As reported by Casino.org, the Nevada Resort Association has released its bi-annual report. According to the report, travel and tourism in the state produced $90.7 billion in economic impact in 2022 - equal to 43% of the state's gross domestic product.
Wildwood Boardwalk reopens ahead of schedule, renovations completed - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, Boardwalk renovations from Maple to 26th Avenues in Wildwood have been completed in time to open the walk for the spring. According to city officials, ongoing work will not impact merchants or visitors. As of May 12, the city was still waiting for a final shipment of lumber to complete the work.
