LIGHT Comments on the First Quarter of 2026 DGE Numbers

May 26, 2026

Comments from Jane Bokunewicz, faculty director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism (LIGHT), Stockton University School of Business, on the first quarter of 2026 numbers released Friday by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement: 

Gross gaming revenue continues to be a poor indicator of the industry’s performance as first-quarter net revenues and gross operating profit tell a story of greater challenges than what might have been suggested by the positive gross gaming revenue reported January through March 2026. 
Economic pressures, local and global, seem to be catching up with Atlantic City’s casino industry as it reports its third consecutive decline in year-over-year first-quarter gross operating profits and a lukewarm quarter for net revenue. 

As increased regional competition often translates to efforts to hold on to market share through greater investment in marketing and promotions, we can expect the cost of doing business to increase, and industrywide margins to continue to narrow. Whether this will be a temporary or long-term effect is difficult to say given the many variables at play – especially those that are completely out of operator’s hands like inflation and the increased cost of fuel heading into what is historically the peak tourism season.