Market Monitor: New Jersey November 2018
Key Takeaways
  • New Jersey online poker operators collected a record-low amount of revenue ($1.56 million) in November.
  • Last month was the most successful November for poker rooms under the Caesars license since 2015.
  • November marked the highest percentage of the online gaming market coming from internet-based sports betting (35%).

New Jersey online poker operators collected a record-low amount of revenue in November, according to data published by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE).

Combined under licenses issued to three land-based casinos, online poker rooms in the state generated $1.56 million last month. The previous low watermark was recorded in September when operators collected $1.6 million in rake and tournament fees.

November marks the fifth consecutive month of declining year-over-year revenue for the struggling online gaming sector and is the 20th time in the last 21 months that revenues levels have failed to reach that of the year prior.

The only time that poker achieved an annual increase was in June of this year during the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. During that time, WSOP.com was able to take advantage of the attendance at the live event to attract players to its online room in Nevada, which had been combined with the player pool of its New Jersey operation for the first time the month prior.

Since online poker liquidity sharing was first allowed in New Jersey in May, only WSOP.com and its partner 888 (both operating under the Caesars license) have increased monthly revenue over the year prior. That trend has held true for seven consecutive months.

In fact, last month was the most successful November for poker rooms under the Caesars license (in terms of revenue) since 2015, when there were only two networks in the market.

In contrast, online casino operators recorded another record high in revenue last month, bringing in nearly $25.4 million. On an annual basis, online casino has posted year-over-year increases in every month following the first year.

November also marked the highest percentage of the online gaming market coming from internet-based sports betting (35%), which began in August of this year.