The ultimate spot for Casinos & Sportsbooks

New Jersey continues to break new records, as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement reported that the total revenues for gaming in the state have reached $6.3 billion in 2024. But although the overall gaming revenue has risen, this was mostly fueled by iGaming revenue - casinos in Atlantic City still struggled last year, hitting a revenue of only $2.81 billion, a decline of 1.1% from 2023. New Jersey's gaming industry achieved an unprecedented milestone in 2024, with total gross gaming revenue soaring to almost $6.3 billion. The 9% increase was largely fueled by the explosive growth of iGaming, which encompasses online slot machines and table games. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement disclosed on Thursday that iGaming revenues alone contributed $2.38 billion, marking a 24% surge from 2023. This $463.4 million growth underlined the increasing preference for online gaming in the Garden State. Sportsbooks across the state also performed robustly in 2024. For the second consecutive year, oddsmakers surpassed the $1 billion revenue mark, with bettors losing a total of $1.094 billion both online and at physical sportsbooks. This represented a nearly 9% improvement from 2023. Atlantic City casinos continue to face challenges Despite the record-breaking statewide figures, Atlantic City's brick-and-mortar casinos struggled to maintain their footing. The city's nine casinos reported combined in-person gaming revenue of just over $2.81 billion, reflecting a slight 1.1% decline from 2023. This $30.4 million drop showed the challenges faced by physical gaming establishments as online platforms gained prominence. "Atlantic City casino win struggled to keep pace with the record growth of the online gaming and sports wagering segments in 2024," said chair of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission James Plousis. However, he noted a silver lining: "Annual casino win ranked as the second-best year since 2013." The casinos generated $602.6 million in state taxes during the year, a significant contribution that primarily supports disabled citizens and seniors in New Jersey. Performance of individual casinos The nine Atlantic City casinos experienced mixed results in 2024. Borgata solidified its market leadership with in-person Gross Gaming Revenue of $738.1 million, reflecting a 1.2% year-over-year increase. Hard Rock followed with $544.9 million, an impressive 6% growth. Ocean Casino Resort, while ranking third with $409.7 million, saw its revenue decline by 1.3%. Meanwhile, Golden Nugget was among the few to post gains, reporting a 0.7% increase to $147.1 million. Conversely, several properties faced significant losses. Harrah's recorded the steepest decline, with a 12% decrease to $223.8 million. Bally's GGR fell by 6% to $145.4 million, while Tropicana and Caesars both saw 5% dips, to$228 million and $218.4 million, respectively. Resorts also reported a slight 1% decline to $161.9 million. Challenges of online gaming's dominance While the surge in iGaming helped offset the decline in physical casino revenue, traditional casinos expressed concerns about the broader implications. For instance, much of the revenue from online gaming is shared with third-party platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings, leaving less profit for the casinos themselves. Additionally, online gamblers do not contribute to the other revenue streams that are vital to Atlantic City's economy, such as hotel stays, dining, entertainment, and retail. These factors contributed to a 9% decline in gross operating profits for the casinos through the first three quarters of 2024. December offers some relief Atlantic City casinos ended 2024 on a relatively positive note, with table games reporting a strong December performance. Blackjack, craps, and roulette generated nearly $63.8 million in GGR, a 12% increase from the same month in 2023. Slot machine revenue, however, dipped by 4% to $168 million, while iGaming continued its upward trajectory with a 26.5% increase, generating $228 million. Sports betting had a challenging December, as many football results favored bettors. The Philadelphia Eagles' strong performance during the month contributed to a 43% drop in sportsbook revenue, which totaled $62.8 million. New Jersey's record-breaking gaming revenue in 2024 demonstrates the pivotal role of iGaming and sports betting in the state's economy. However, the challenges faced by Atlantic City's physical casinos highlight the need for strategic investments to adapt to the evolving gaming landscape.

The Nashville Predators definitely need to go back to the drawing board not just in the season, but even for the offseason after going off for their worst start in the NHL at this point in time. And it seems that it is starting to set in with a lot of critics expecting a major change in either the coaching staff or even the roster. Or maybe they could ride it out all the way to the end of the 2024-25 season. Well, the Predators certainly looked like they won the offseason and the free agency when the team managed to snag former Tampa Bay Lightning star and captain Steven Stamkos, former Vegas Golden Knights ace Jonathan Marchessault, and elite two-way defenseman Brady Skjei from the Carolina Hurricanes. The thing is, they haven’t enjoyed a big win ever since that big stride in the offseason. Perhaps you can consider their 5-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights, but that did nothing to change their woes in the season so far, which has been definitely disappointing than most people would expect. Winning to Lose In just a few hours back in July 1st, the Nashville Predators definitely went up as a contender for the Stanley Cup after committing more than $108 million on their new key players. Alas, the Predators now stand dead bottom in the league standings not just in the Western Conference, but even for the whole NHL. Suffice to say, they don’t have a bigger record to boast over the San Jose Sharks or even the Chicago Blackhawks – the bottom two teams in the West so far. To begin the season, the Predators lost 10 out of its first 14 games. Save feeling sorry for the Predators though, as they have dug themselves their own graves for this season so far. “There’s no going back and changing anything that’s happened, so you can’t feel sorry for yourself,” Stamkos said after a 3-2 loss at Washington. “We’re in the position we’re in, and we have to find our way back. The guys in this locker room last year had a similar start to the season and found a way, and for us new guys, adjusting to the system is coming. I think as much as we wanted it to happen overnight, sometimes it doesn’t necessarily happen that way.” The Frustration is Mounting The Predators boast a hefty number of elite offensive players in the game, and yet they are far from coming up with impressive strides that one has expected from them to begin the season. “Frustration’s been leaking in a little bit,” said second-year coach Andrew Brunette, whose job status will almost certainly be debated if the losing continues. “I think frustration, at times in our mind, it gets confused a little bit with work and effort.” Consistency is a major problem. Nashville is outshooting opponents 445-411 but being outscored 50-33, and that says a lot about how their defense has been to blame, but also the way their offense has been inefficient at times so far. “A lot of times when you don’t score, you go back to some habits that allowed you to score in the past,” Brunette said. “It’s gotten us a little bit to the perimeter and it’s gotten us further and further from the net, and when you’re further and further from the net you’re probably further and further from scoring goals.” They are certainly not joining the likes of the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, or the Dallas Stars – who were all deemed to be “easy to beat” for the stacked Nashville lineup.