Sports betting in New Jersey will go off as planned. As I write this, Monmouth Park is 20 minutes away from taking its first wager, presumably placed on the World Cup by Gov. Phil Murphy (D). “I’m thrilled to be doing it,” Murphy told a radio host, It’s been a long time coming. Many, many years.” You said it, Phil. Borgata will be close upon Monmouth Park’s heels, opening a sports book at 11 a.m. Kudos to MGM Resorts International for having the class not to rain on Murphy’s parade, which will contain other Garden State dignitaries. The governor thinks that the state’s official projection of $13 million in tax revenues is a low-end number but we’ve been down this road before with Internet gaming and it’s better to be conservative when budgeting gambling levies.
So great was the sense of urgency that the state issued emergency regulations to cover sports betting, not having time to draft permanent ones. We hope the latter will be in place a month from now, when mobile wagering becomes legal. “Legal sports betting will add rocket fuel to the already-impressive growth rates for New Jersey’s legal online casinos,” predicted columnist Steve Ruddock. “The addition of sports betting will also create crossover customers that will expand the revenue pie for online casino games. DraftKings and FanDuel add splashy brands to New Jersey’s online gambling market, and will help energize the industry.”
The euphoria (even I can feel the excitement) over sports betting helps soften the blow of a poor May in Atlantic City. Casino revenues were 
down 7%. Slot revenues were pretty flat but the Boardwalk got cleaned out on table games, where win was down 25.5%. (Mind you, we’re talking about a $193.5 million market, bigger than any Midwestern state.) Winners included the Tropicana, storming into second place with $31 million and a 7% gain. The Golden Nugget was up 6% to nearly $20 million and Resorts International also bucked the trend, nudging up 1% to $15.5 million.
Borgata was down 10%, having been clocked at the tables (-33%) and despite 2.5% more slot win on higher coin-in. It grossed $61.5 million, so MGM will be crying all the way to the bank. Hardest-hit was Caesars Atlantic City, down 24% to $22 million. Harrah’s Resort grossed $27.5 million, a 7% decline and Bally’s tumbled 11.5% to $16 million. Atlantic City’s landing was cushioned by a 15% increase in online play, still dominated by the Golden Nugget, with 35.5% market share.
* Dan Gilbert can’t get any traction at Jack Detroit, which was flat last month with $29 million. (Some would like to have his problems, I’m 
sure.) As always, MGM Grand Detroit was dominant with $54 million and a 7% increase. MotorCity, which continues to look like a strong candidate for a tuck-in acquisition, made a 2% increase to $41.5 million. You have to hand it to Terrence Lanni: He built a better mousetrap at MGM Grand and it will rule the Motown market until Hell freezes over.
* Pennsylvania slot revenue has been tallied and Parx Casino continues to rule with $36 million and a 5% increase. Elsewhere in the 
Philadelphia market, SugarHouse was flat at $15.5 million, Harrah’s Philadelphia was also stagnant at $17 million but Valley Forge Casino was up 12% to $8 million. Sands Bethlehem gained 2% to $27 million, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs was off 2% to $17.5 million, while Mount Airy was down 3% to $12.5 million. Hollywood Casino grossed $18 million, a 1.5% dip and Rivers Casino grossed $23 million for a 2.5% gain. Presque Isle Downs gained 2.5% to $10 million, The Meadows racino slid 9.5% to $17.5 million and little Isle of Capri Nemacolin fell 10.5% to $2.5 million. Think Eldorado Resorts will find anyone to take that off their hands?
Good for New Jersey and sports betting!
Too bad Terry Lanni went out the way he did. He was certainly a visionary and a proven leader in the industry.