National January Online Casino Revenue Falls Just Shy Of $1 Billion

The seven states that offer regulated online casino play fell just $1.1 million shy of pulling off a second straight month of reaching $1 billion in operator gross revenue.

The $998.9 million in total platform win was 21.1% higher than the opening month of 2025. West Virginia was the only state to set a new monthly record revenue, but the other six states all had top-three all-time totals and year-over-year increases of 16.8% or better.

State-specific taxes from internet casino gaming, which do not include Detroit city taxes and tribal disbursements in the state of Michigan as well as local taxes in Pennsylvania, totaled $203.4 million in January. That was an increase of $49.2 million from 12 months prior.

Michigan, Pennsylvania separating from Jersey

Pennsylvania has often been a cut above its Michigan and New Jersey counterparts when it comes to gross operator revenue, but the Keystone State being a high promotional deduction state puts its adjusted gross revenue in line with other members of the “Big 3.”

Hard Rock Bet’s launch in Michigan in December, however, has added a new two-part wrinkle into monthly numbers. The Wolverine State became the second to reach $300 million in gross revenue to close out 2025, and it nearly duplicated the feat again in January.

Another reduction in promotional deductions for platforms from 6% to 4% is another means of Michigan operator AGR ticking higher to easily lead the group of seven. The $286.3 million in taxable winnings ranked second all-time, and it was $24.6 million higher than the $261.7 million from October that now occupies the final podium spot for the category.

Pennsylvania platforms cleared $300 million for the fourth straight month as revenue surged 21.1% higher year-over-year. The $249.3 million in AGR pushed the all-time total since launch in July 2019 over $10 billion.

New Jersey online casino platforms held their own to start 2026, reaping $258.9 million in taxable winnings in January. The 16.8% increase from 2025 was overshadowed by the spread between iGaming operators and Atlantic City brick-and-mortar counterparts being a whopping $45.6 million.

Impact of FanDuel’s Mardi Gras move

The four casinos licensed to offer iCasino in West Virginia look to be more balanced in terms of operator revenue since FanDuel left The Greenbrier to become a skin at Mardi Gras last fall.

The record overall $43 million haul for January was up 86.5% from a year ago and toppled the previous standard of $42.7 million set last November.

Year-for-year numbers are not available for specific operators as the four casinos have multiple skins, but the $9.2 million in winnings reported by Mardi Gras was 15 times higher than January 2025, when Betly Casino was its lone skin. BetMGM and Golden Nugget held their own at The Greenbrier, with the $10.4 million between them down only 6.9% despite a 23.5% plunge in “drop” (amount wagered) to $207.6 million.

BetRivers and Caesars Palace, operating through Mountaineer Casino, more than doubled their winnings to $8.5 million, and Penn-owned Hollywood Casino at Charles Town also reported a near-doubling of revenue to a state-best $14.9 million.

Elsewhere on the East Coast

Connecticut ($64.6 million), Delaware ($14.7 million), and Rhode Island ($5.7 million) all posted monthly revenue totals among the top three in each state’s history.

FanDuel pushed its all-time best in the Nutmeg State out another $7,300 to $33.5 million, while DraftKings finished less than $1,000 shy of $31 million. The $9.9 million remitted by the titans nudged Connecticut’s all-time tax revenue since launch in October 2021 above $300 million.

BetRivers’ platform in Delaware came within $115,000 of a second straight monthly record as winning climbed 58.3% from 2025.

Bally’s, operating as a de facto monopoly in Rhode Island, reported revenue totals 80% higher than last year thanks to a record slot haul of $4.8 million.