New Jersey Bans Sweepstakes Casinos, Hits All-Time High in Gaming Revenue

Last week, Governor Phil Murphy signed off on strict limits for gaming sites in New Jersey. The state became the fourth to stop sweepstakes casinos, right as its gambling profits hit a record $3.92 billion in 2025.

Starting Aug. 15, the state joined Nevada, Montana, and Connecticut in blocking these gaming sites. Officials switched from their first plan of making rules to watch over the sites, choosing instead to stop them completely.

In January, Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese wanted to set up rules for sweepstakes casinos. By March, he switched course and wrote Bill A5447 to ban them. Jeff Duncan, who runs the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance, fought back. "This law is a textbook example of government overreach that strips away entertainment choices from adults who should be free to make decisions about their own entertainment," he said.

The state's regular gambling business keeps breaking records. Web-based casinos made $247.3 million just in July: their best month yet. That's a jump of 26.6% from last year, pushing online wins to $1.63 billion for 2025.

Physical casinos topped online play, bringing in $284.1 million for July. The nine casinos in the state have made $1.66 billion since the year started. Hard Rock and Ocean Casino keep growing strong. Other spots still work to match their success from before the pandemic hit.

New Jersey stays firm as the second-biggest state for gambling in America, with only Nevada ahead. After setting up online rules in 2011, the state now watches over 30 betting websites. Their strict oversight keeps growing as more people turn to both online and in-person gaming.