ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey: Figures released this week by New Jersey's gambling regulators reveal that the state's casinos, and horse tracks that take sports bets and their online partners won nearly US$510 million from gamblers in May.

This was an increase of 8.3 percent from last year.

Internet gambling fell short of its record in March, but it continued its strong performance in May.

Only three of the nine casinos won more from in-person gamblers last month than they did in May 2019, even though earnings from in-person gamblers, the casinos' core business surpassed the pre-pandemic total of May 2019.

"May provided a promising start for the summer season, and positive momentum has been building," James Plousis, chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, said in a statement quoted by The Associated Press. "Consumer interest has been strong, driven by must-see unique investments recently made in the casino hotels."

Jane Bokunewicz, director of the Lloyd Levenson Institute at Stockton University, which studies the Atlantic City gambling industry, said, "While revenues increased, so have expenses, and while revenues for the month and year-to-date compare favorably to prior periods, they may not translate into similar increases in gross operating profit down the line," she said. "Inflation impacts both operators, in the form of costs of goods and wages, and consumers, in the form of prices."

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement figures revealed that nine casinos won nearly $223 million from in-person gamblers, an increase of 5.2 percent from a year earlier.

Only three casinos - Borgata, Ocean, and Hard Rock - won more from in-person gamblers last month than in May 2019, a continuing concern for the Atlantic City casino industry.

Casinos and tracks took nearly $839 million worth of sports bets in May and kept $78.7 million of that as revenue after bets were paid out.

The casinos and tracks have taken in over $6 billion worth of sports bets so far this year, keeping $513 million of that as revenue.

Internet gambling earned $192 million in May with a rise of 19 percent from 2023 and just below the record of $197 million set in March.