Editors Letter

As stand-up comedian Dave Attell once said, “You know what I always say: New Year, new toothbrush.” While that sentiment might not be shared with you or anyone you know (hopefully not) we are hopeful for a fresh start after 2020. So far it’s been a mixed bag with a pandemic still raging and an unsettling political landscape. Despitea rocky start, there are some positives from which to draw inspiration. Most notable is our cover feature on the feel-good comeback story we all need right now.
New Jersey has been headline news for years in terms of its motivation to turn gambling into a win-win, and with insight from The Innovation Group and the AGA, we examine this proverbial phoenix, starting on page 16, as it experiences a renaissance that brought in a record handle of $996m at sportsbooks in December, bringing the state’s annual 2020 handle to more than $6bn. Overall, the state itself generated $50m in tax revenue from sports wagering last year. Nothing to sneeze at. But if these numbers and trends are what other states are seeing and trying to emulate, a greater share of the country will inevitably catch the fever; New York, Colorado, Indiana, Pennsylvania and California already have the sniffles.
Not to sound biased, but we have even more good things to tell about New Jersey.
On page 24, we feature a couple of prominent leaders in Atlantic City. It just so happens they’re both women. This isn’t breaking news or some antiquated notion of a cultural or industry revolution (or revelation) but Borgata president & COO Melonie Johnson and Ocean Casino Resort CEO Terry Glebocki are shining examples of how to apply patience and perseverance in equal measure to ride out the pandemic, and come out of it stronger than before. But we can’t get ahead of ourselves, as we’re still in the throes of lockdowns, case spikes and vaccine admin, not to mention a new administration in Washington settling in. We’ll see how the New Jersey momentum builds across the country as democratic leadership interprets gambling opportunities. We also have to consider how the death of Sheldon Adelson might influence the Republican minority and its approach to gambling initiatives. He leaves the GOP without a primary source of donations that were integral to the party’s former success. We’re talking over $500m to campaigns and super PACs since 2010. There are a lot of moving parts still in play for US gambling. As much as it might hurt to admit, we could all benefit if we fall in line behind New Jersey.