New Jersey Sports Betting Revenue Falls 25% in August 2026

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Tue Sep 29, 2026, 12:00 pm ET

Read Time: 4 minutes

New Jersey Sports Betting Revenue Falls 25% in August 2026

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New Jersey sports betting revenue declined sharply in August 2026 as the fall sports calendar started later than last year.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) reported $61.4 million in sports wagering gross revenue for August. That marked a 25% decline from the $81.9 million recorded in August 2025.

The state's sportsbooks accepted $732.4 million in wagers, down 10.1% year over year. The handle represents the total amount bettors wagered, while revenue reflects the money sportsbooks retained after paying winning bets.

New Jersey Sports Betting Handle Declines as Football Starts Later

The DGE attributed much of the decline to a later start for certain fall sports. College football had fewer completed games during August than it did during the same month last year.

Football wagering handle dropped 63.4% to $26.8 million. Football revenue also fell 67.9% to approximately $1.6 million.

Other sports provided some support during the month. Baseball generated more than $205 million in wagers, while basketball handle increased 6.2% to $60.6 million. Parlays also remained a major part of the market, producing $228.6 million in handle.

However, the lower betting volume coincided with a weaker sportsbook hold. The overall hold fell to 8.39%, compared with 10.06% in August 2025. That lower hold meant operators retained less revenue from every dollar wagered.

FanDuel and DraftKings Lead the Market

FanDuel remained New Jersey's largest sportsbook by August revenue. The operator generated $22.6 million, although revenue declined 28.7% year over year.

FanDuel's New Jersey operation has a strong connection to the Meadowlands Racetrack, where it operates through its partnership with the track. The Meadowlands remains one of the state's major retail and online sportsbook hubs.

DraftKings followed with $16.9 million, down 39.4% from August 2025. BetMGM generated $5.3 million, while Fanatics Sportsbook and bet365 produced approximately $4.8 million and $4.2 million.

The market remained heavily weighted toward mobile wagering. Online sportsbooks generated roughly $59.7 million, accounting for 97.2% of total sports wagering revenue. Retail sportsbooks contributed the remaining $1.7 million.

New Jersey's retail betting network includes locations such as Meadowlands and Monmouth Park. However, mobile wagering continues to account for the overwhelming majority of the state's sports betting activity.

That split also highlights the difference between physical betting locations and the broader digital market. Mobile customers can wager through licensed US online sportsbooks without visiting a racetrack or casino.

Major Sports Seasons Could Lift Betting Activity

August's results arrived before the busiest stretch of the American sports calendar.

The NFL season began in September, while college football also moved into a fuller schedule. Meanwhile, MLB's regular season entered its final weeks before the postseason.

The NBA and NHL then add another major source of betting volume when their regular seasons begin in October. Those leagues should broaden the betting menu available to New Jersey customers.

Consequently, the final months of 2026 will feature a much denser sports calendar than August. Football alone should provide a substantially larger betting opportunity after its limited August schedule.

Basketball and hockey will then add further wagering opportunities throughout the winter. Baseball will also remain relevant as the postseason brings additional betting interest.

Year-to-Date Revenue Remains Below 2025

Despite July's strong performance, New Jersey's sports betting revenue remains below last year's pace.

Sports wagering generated $671.4 million through August 2026, representing a 5.3% decline from the $708.7 million recorded during the same period in 2025.

The August slowdown also followed a particularly strong July. Sportsbooks generated $97 million in July revenue, up 29.7% from July 2025. August revenue subsequently fell 36.6% from July's level.

Still, sports betting was only one part of the broader New Jersey gambling market. Total gaming revenue reached $615.7 million in August, down 4.1% year over year. Internet gaming revenue increased 4.4% to $259.3 million, partly offsetting declines from casinos and sports wagering.

New Jersey also collected approximately $12.8 million in sports betting taxes during August.

The August figures therefore point to a softer period for New Jersey sports betting. However, operators now enter a much busier sports calendar. Football, basketball, hockey, and baseball should all contribute to wagering activity during the remainder of 2026.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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