January 2022

 

LIGHT Snapshots

 
January 2022
 

In LIGHT of the data.

In January 2022, New Jersey鈥檚 gaming operators faced challenges both new and familiar. Major winter weather events in the region suppressed in-person wagering while the launch of mobile sports wagering in New York threatened to cut into the state鈥檚 revenues from sports betting.

Despite the launch of New York sportsbooks last month, activity at New Jersey sportsbooks did not appear to decline in January 2021. Handle for the month, $1.35 billion exceeded handle from December 2021 and each of the past three Januarys.

Being more populated (20.2 million) than New Jersey (9.3 million), and benefiting from the lessons learned by New Jersey operators, it is not surprising that New York is already a major player in the online sports wagering market so soon after launch. It may be many months yet before a clear picture of how the New York and New Jersey mobile sports betting markets will coexist especially in the context of markets in other neighboring states.

Meanwhile as the nation moves from a pandemic to endemic posture regarding COVID-19 there is reason to hope for a strong spring and a surge in in-person wagering come summer 2022.

 

Atlantic City Gaming Win & Total Casino Revenue

Source:

Monthly Revenue (Industry, $ In Thousands)

January 2022

% Change from Prior Year January 2021 YTD January  2022 % Change from Prior Year YTD January 2021
Total Gaming Win (includes Internet & Sports Wagering) 340,111 15.1% 295,511 340,111 15.1% 295,511
Sports Wagering Revenue  18,620 -41.3%  31,729 18,620 -41.3% 31,729
Internet Gaming Win 137,850 32.8% 103,771 137,850 32.8% 103,771
Casino Gaming Win 183,642 14.8% 160,011 183,642 14.8% 160,011

 

Quarterly Revenue (Industry, $ In Thousands) Q3 2021 % Change from Prior Year Q3 2020 YTD September 30, 2021 % Change from Prior Year YTD September 30, 2020
Casino 505,871 35.6% 373,176 1,328,803

58.2%

840,047
Rooms

246,860

72.0% 143,490 482,556 100.1% 241,104
Food & Beverage 142,029 179.0% 50,900 296,682 91.8% 154,653
Entertainment & Other 73,271 102.5% 36,191 151,205 74.6% 86,604
Casino Licensees Total Revenue 968,031 60.3% 603,757 2,259,245 70.8% 1,322,408
 

Atlantic City Hotel Lodging

Source:

Casino Hotel Lodging Statistics
For the Period Ended
September 30, 2021 & 2020
Q3 2021 Q3 2020 YTD 2021 YTD 2020
Occupancy percentage 81.3% 72.9% 68.0% 70.6%
Average Daily Room Rate (ADR) $224.61 $159.11 $178.07 $144.89
Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)* $182.50 $116.02 $121.08 $102.36

* RevPAR= ADR X Occupancy Percentage


Atlantic City Statistical Transportation Data

Source:

Travel Mode December
2021
Change
from Prior
Year
December
2020
YTD
December
2021
Change
from Prior
Year
YTD December
2020
AC Expressway
Total Toll-Paying Traffic
Pleasantville Toll Plaza
1,288,670  34.9% 955,303  17,396,768 24.3% 13,992,820
AC Airport
Scheduled Service Passengers 63,675 106.3% 30,866 795,183 88.1% 422,761 
Charter Passengers  6,376 606.9% 902  71,856  157.8% 27,875
Total Air Passengers 70,051 120.5% 31,768  867,039  92.4% 450,636

Atlantic City Meetings and Conventions Data

Source:

  January** '22 January '21 % Change
from Prior Year
TOTAL
2022 YTD
TOTAL
2021 YTD
% Change
from Prior Year
Conventions/Tradeshows/Meetings*
# of Shows 4 0 N/A 4 0 N/A
# of Room Nights 15,384 0 N/A 15,384 0 N/A
# of Delegates 53,409 0 N/A 53,409 0 N/A
Delegate Spending $13,472,282 0 N/A $13,472,282 0 N/A
Boardwalk Hall Bookings
# of Shows 3 0 N/A 3 0 N/A
# of Attendees 15,017 0 N/A 15,017 0 N/A
Hotel Bookings
# of Shows 4 1 300% 4 1 300%
# of Room Nights 5,787 48 11956% 5,787 48 11956%
# of Attendees 16,000 11,000 45% 16,000 11,000 45%
Delegate Spending $3,900,814 $2,066,243 89% $3,900,814 $2,066,243 89%
Monthly Totals
# Convs_Trade_Mtgs / Boardwalk Hall / Hotel 11 1 1000% 11 1 1000%
# of Room Nights 21,171 48 44006% 21,171 48 44006%
# of Attendees 84,426 11,000 668% 84,426 11,000 668%
Delegate Spending $17,373,096 $2,066,243 741% $17,373,096 $2,066,243 741%

Notes:

*Includes Meet AC events booked at Boardwalk Hall

** January 2022 numbers for conventions/tradeshows and Boardwalk Hall have been updated as of March 15, 2022. 

January 2021 hotel attendees reflect virtual attendance numbers

March and August 2021 conventions/tradeshow numbers updated based on information received after reporting deadline


LIGHT Snapshots is a publication of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism, 淫性视频 School of Business
Jane Bokunewicz, Ph. D., Faculty Director and Associate Professor of Hospitality

Atlantic City Information

Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) approves Tennesse Avenue apartments, Bally's Beer Hall site plan -  As reported by on January 18, the CRDA approved a plan for 14 apartments to be built at the site of the former John Brooks Recovery Center on Tennessee Avenue. Douglas Development Corp. will purchase the facility formerly known as the Tate Building for $100,000. Douglas Development also owns other properties on Tennesee Avenue and future plans call for the redevelopment of the entire block totaling 47 new apartments. At the same January 18 meeting, the CRDA approved a site plan for a project known as the Bally's Beer Hall. The plan calls for a 5,100-square-foot indoor-outdoor beer hall in the courtyard of the Dennis Hotel formerly the site of Harry's Bar and Grill. 

Master lease for Atlantic City Skate Zone reverts to Atlantic City April 14 -As reported by , the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority's (CRDA) lease from the city of the 23-year-old Atlantic City Skate Zone is set to expire April 14, 2022. When the lease expires, ownership of the property will revert to the city, which, as of January 26, has agreed to continue operating the facility as an ice skating rink through April 2023. However, Black Bear Sports Group, which currently leases the building from the CRDA and operates the rink, said it plans to vacate the building by March 7. Black Bear Sports Group had previously sought a long-term lease of the property due to the need for extensive repairs to the facility. Further reporting by and .

Matt Doherty to leave Casino Reinvestment Development Authority - According to a January 13 from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), Matthew J. Doherty stepped down as Executive Director effective January 28. A dated January 19 announced CRDA General Counsel M贸nica de los R铆os as Interim Executive Director of the authority. Further reporting by . 

Chris Brown to take more visible role - As reported by , on January 24, former N.j. Senator Chris Brown said that he would be taking a more visible, "hands on" role as the senior adviser on Atlantic City for the Department of Community Affairs, a position he has held since July 2021. 

New Jersey Gaming News

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa names new president - According to a January 5 from MGM Resorts International, Travis Lunn has been named as President & Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. Mr. Lunn replaces Melonie Johnson, who is returning to the company鈥檚 MGM National Harbor property as President & COO. Further coverage by the and . 

Esports betting begins in New Jersey - As reported by the , on January 24 the granted approval to (EEG) to begin accepting bets on competative video gaming. EEG will be affiliated with Bally's Atlantic City's casino license, but will only accept bets on esports. Further coverage by .

Governor signs bill allowing deduction of promotional gaming credit from sports wagering gross revenue for tax purposes - As recorded by the and reported by , on January 18, Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill into law. The bill allows sportsbook operators to deduct certain promotional gaming credits from the calculation of gross gaming revenue for purposes of taxation. As stipulated in the bill promotional gaming credits may only be deducted for betting credits in excess of $8 million annually for land-based books and in excess of $12 million annually for online books. Further coverage by .

Legislators consider bill that would ban smoking in Atlantic City Casinos - As recorded by the and reported by the n January 11 state legislators proposed a bill (/) that would "eliminate the smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities." The bill was refered to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and Assembly Health Committee. Both the Senate and Assemby bills are derived from bills that failed to pass during the 2021 legislative session (S1878/A4541). Smoking is presently allowed on no more than 20% of a casino's floor. Further coverage by . 

National Gaming News

Maryland casinos see $16 million handle in sports betting in first month - As reported by the , Maryland's casinos experienced their second-best revenue month ever in December 2021 generating $172.9 million in gaming revenue a 45% increase over December 2020. Maryland's single month gaming revenue record was set in July 2021 with $180.1 million. In their first month in operation, Maryland sportsbooks generated a total $16 million in handle in December 2021 with a hold of 19.2%. 

Nevada casinos see record gross gaming revenue in 2021, net loss for fiscal year 2021 as Las Vegas visitation numbers begin to recover- As reported by , statewide Nevada casino operators generated a record $13.42 billion in annual gross gaming revenue a 9% increase over pre-pandemic 2019 and a 71% increase over 2020 in the 12 months ended December 31, 2021 (). Also as reported by , the Nevada Gaming Control Board report for the 12 months ended June 30, 2021 () records a statewide net operating loss of $206.4 million in FY2021 largely due to a more than $1.95 billion net operating loss for casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas Conventions and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) in a January 27 announced that more than 32 million visitors had visited the city in 2021 a significant increase over 2020 visitation (19 million), but still behind pre-pandemic 2019 visitation (42 million) by approximately 24 percent. 

New York launches mobile sports wagering - According to a from the , four licenced Mobile Sports Wagering Operators - Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Rush Street Interactive were granted approval to begin acccepting bets at 9 a.m. on January 8. According to the , in the first month of operation (January 9 through 30), New York Mobile Sports Wagering generated $1.6 billion in handle and nearly $113 million in gross gaming revenue. New Jersey's best month for handle, October 2021, generated $1.3 bilion from both online and retail sportsbooks.  Further coverage by , , and . 

Ontario, Canada to launch online gaming April 4 - According to a January 28 from regulatory body (iGO), a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), Ontario is set to launch legal online casino gaming and sports betting April 4. According to , an Eilers & Krejcik report estimates Ontario sportsbooks could generate up to CAD $570 million in sports betting revenue in 2022.

Pennsylvania casinos generate record revenue in 2021 - As reported by , Pensylvania gaming operators generated more than $4.73 billion in gross gaming revenue from all gambling verticals. This represents a 39 percent increase over the prior annual gross gaming revenue record set in 2019 ($3.41 billion) and a $2 billion improvement over 2020 when operators generated $2.65 billion. 

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approves Category 4 license for Parx Casino Shippensburg - As reported by , the Pennsylvania Gaming Control granted a Category 4 (satellite) casino license to Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, the parent company of Parx Casino Bensalem (Category 2). The company's "mini-casino" will be located in Shippensburg on the site of a former Lowe鈥檚 home improvement store.

Hospitality & Tourism News

American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) forecasts uneven, volitile recovery of industry in 2022 - According to a released by AHLA on , the hotel industry is moving toward recovery in 2022, "but the path will be uneven and potentially volatile, and full recovery is still several years away." Hotel occupancies are projected to recover to 2019 levels in 2022 however, the outlook for food & beverage and meeting space revenues is less positive. Business travel (52.5% of industry room revenue in 2019) will remain suppressed representing 43.6% of industry room revenue in 2022. Further coverage by .

Bills to fund Atlantic City public safety and cost of hosting NAACP national convention become law - As reported by the , and passed the New Jersey Legislature on January 10 and were signed into Law January 18. Senate Bill 4218 appropriates $2 million from the state Department of Human Affairs to the CRDA to cover the cost of hosting the national NAACP convention in July 2022. Assembly Bill 6257 imposes a surcharge of $2 per night on casino hotel rooms to fund public safety innitiatives in their host community. 

Ground broken for Showboat water park - As reported by , on January 13 developer Bart Blatstein broke ground on a $100 million indor water park. The 103,000-square-foot facility, to be called "Island Waterpark," is expected to open by Memorial Day weekend 2023.

MGM Resorts International announces update to loyalty rewards program - As reported by and confirmed by a February 1 from MGM Resorts International, effective February 1, non-gaming customers will be able to earn MGM Rewards points. Previously only casino patrons could earn points toward the company's loyalty rewards program. 

New Jersey municipalities permited to designate open container areas for outdoor drinking of beer, wine and other alcohol - As recorded by the , Bill /A5554 became law January 18. The new law grants municipalities the ability to "designate outdoor areas upon which people may consume alcoholic beverages." This effectively makes temporary open container areas, instituted in response to pandemic restrictions, permanent. Further coverage by .