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New Jersey Weighs New Casinos as NY Casino Boom Reshapes the East Coast
New York’s casino race may be done and dusted, but it is not the end of matters there for casino gamers on the East Coast. While New York took the headlines for the historic push to open commercial casinos in the heart of the city, New Jersey has been talking about expanding on its own sector. The iconic Atlantic City in New Jersey, as per current regulations, is the only area where landbased casinos can operate in the state. Famous and popular as it is, the lawmakers are now considering expanding beyond Atlantic City.
The Senate Concurrent Resolution 130, or SCR130, was introduced back in May, exploring the possibility of authorizing racetrack casinos outside Atlantic City. Two racetracks could potentially open casinos, Monmouth Park in Oceanport and Meadowlands Racing in East Rutherford.
Could New Jersey Build Casinos Outside AC
For New Jersey to approve new casinos outside Atlantic City, it would need to amend the state constitution. This means legislative approval all the way up, followed by a public vote. It is not the first time New Jersey has discussed opening new casinos outside the Atlantic City zone. The most recent proposal came back in 2016, but it was heavily rejected by voters. However, SCR130 has been structured to avoid those same mistakes, framing the move as a response to the New York casino expansion.
New York has greatly helped the cause, and now that all three parties have received gaming licenses from the NYSGC, New Jersey has all the more reason to justify its own rollout. The amendment would allow casino licenses at designated tracks, and they have two venues in mind. The goal is to create competition and enhance revenue, but to do so in a measured way. That way, it won’t disturb Atlantic City’s portion of the market.
Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment
Meadowlands Racing is quite controversial, because it is located in East Rutherford, near to where the New York City casinos are going to be. It is 45 minutes by car from the site of Metropolitan Park (Hard Rock and Steve Cohen’s joint landbased casino resort) and Bally’s Bronx. And just over an hour away from Resorts World NYC. Meadowlands Racing has the potential to be direct competition to the New York casinos.
It already has a massive sportsbook, entertainment venues, and is located next to MetLife Stadium, home to the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Mets. Having an on-site casino at Meadowlands Racing will be a massive boost for New Jersey. The location is ideal for catching NFL fan traffic, and also general tourist traffic heading towards New York, before they even cross the Hudson River. In the best case scenario, for New Jersey, Meadowlands Racing may even draw away the traffic heading towards the Bronx and Queens.
Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Park is further South, located in Oceanport. The racing venue already has a sportsbook and has strong seasonal traffic that fluctuates around horse racing events, and summer tourists who come to lounge along the Jersey Shore. The supporters of a casino at Monmouth Park argue that this would transform the venue into a year round destination, and not one for sunbathers and horse race bettors.
The location is perfect to attract gamers from Philadelphia, but critics would argue it is too close to Atlantic City. Just over 80 miles North of the Boardwalk, where all the big Atlantic City Casinos are located, there is a danger that Monmouth may take away some of Atlantic City’s traffic. Insiders have called this internal cannibalization, stating the income would just be shifted and not increased, and this can concern parties in Atlantic City.
Implications for Atlantic City
Atlantic City is among the biggest entertainment capitals in the world, and has been referred to as the Las Vegas of the East. Casino gaming has been legal since 1976 in Atlantic City, but AC really took off during the 1980s. With the rise of casino resorts, as well as Cirque du Soleil performances and the rise of Mike Tyson, who fought many times in Atlantic City in the 1980s, it became a popular gambling destination in its own right. Atlantic City was never bigger than Las Vegas. Vegas pulled in around $8.51 billion in gross gaming revenue back in 2024, while Atlantic City’s gambling venues only drew in $2.81 billion.
However, it has long enjoyed a monopoly in New Jersey, and is one of the most important destinations for gambling tourism along the East Coast. While there will be just 3 NYC casinos, these could jeopardize Atlantic City’s position as a closer, more affordable version of Vegas for East Coast residents. Introducing 2 more casinos in New Jersey could damage Atlantic City’s revenue further, which is something the lawmakers must be mindful of.
Because while Atlantic City has the ocean-side casino resorts, packed with thousands of slots, quality table games, and even sportsbooks, there is a danger that gamers may be drawn away to the racing track alternative casinos.
Atlantic City Online Competition
Unlike New York Casinos and Nevada, Atlantic City has had to deal with the rise in online casinos. Because these were legalized in New Jersey back in 2013. New York has not yet legalized online casinos, and actually, it recently joined NJ in banning online sweepstakes casinos.
Nevada, one of the most progressive states for landbased gambling, actually does not allow online casinos. Sports betting is legal in Nevada, and has been since 2010, but users have to register accounts in person at licensed sportsbooks or landbased casinos. New Jersey has both online sportsbooks and online casinos, so Atlantic City has the stiffest internal competition from mobile platforms.
What Needs to Happen for NJ Casinos to Launch
The political movement is building and New York will give the advocates of new casinos in NJ momentum in their efforts. The truth, however, is that the result is far from guaranteed. SCR130 must pass several hurdles before any ground is broken, and then it is not something that can be resolved in a matter of weeks.
The proposal must pass the NJ legislature, followed by a statewide ballot. Should the public vote in favor of the new casinos, then regulators will need to come together and design the licensing framework. As we saw in New York, that means tax rates, operational rules, and perhaps a race between operators who will want to run the casinos. In short:
- Legislative approval, either by a 60% majority in both chambers in a single session, or a simple majority across two consecutive sessions
- Placement on the 2026 general election ballot
- Voters must approve the constitutional change
- Regulatory framework development, including licensing, tax rates, and operator eligibility
- Commercial agreements between racetracks and casino operators
Even the most optimistic advocates can’t really say how long this would take, but it is not something that can be wrapped up within 2026.
Could the East Coast Steal Tourism from Nevada
Las Vegas is in a league of its own across the continent, though it has lost its position to Macau, in terms of having the biggest-grossing casinos in the world. During the 1980s, Atlantic City saw a meteoric rise in activity, but it still came nowhere near to Las Vegas. But between New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York, East Coast players now have high end casino experiences of their own, all within a few hours’ drive.
With more alternatives emerging on the East Coast, Las Vegas may feel a small chip away at its short haul, weekend casino tourism. iGaming is on the rise, but landbased casinos are not a thing of the past, not by any means. In fact, there have been more historically digital iGaming providers adapting their games for landbased casinos. One of the biggest was Evolution’s announcement that NetEnt classics would be adapted for Las Vegas landbased casinos. New York is leading the charge to bring more gambling tourism back to the East Coast, and if New Jersey follows suit, it could bolster the options for East Coast gamers considerably.
