New Jersey joined neighboring New York as the only states to surpass $1 billion in sports betting revenue in 2023 Tuesday after the Division of Gaming Enforcement reported that operators claimed more than $109.4 million in winnings for December.
It was the second time in four months that operator revenue surpassed $100 million, with December’s total ranking behind only the $114.8 million claimed in November 2021 and $111.1 million won in September. It was also up 24.8% from the previous December and 14.1% higher than November. Garden State sportsbooks cleared $1 billion in winnings by $6.6 million, as total revenue surged 31.9% over the $763 million claimed in 2022.
More than $1.28 billion was wagered on New Jersey’s betting apps in December, as New bettors came within $28 million of topping $12 billion handle for 2023 and helped fashion an 8.5% hold to close out the year. Handle compared to 2022 was up 9.4%, proving again that there is life without New York bettors needing to cross the Hudson.
New Jersey received more than $13.9 million in taxes for December, lifting the full-year total to $128.9 million. That was up slightly more than $31 million compared to 2022.