New Jersey Voters Still Reject Casinos Outside Atlantic City

New Jersey voters still do not want casinos outside Atlantic City, according to a new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll. Support stands at 44%, while opposition remains around 50%, nearly unchanged from earlier polling in 2014 and 2016.

Good to Know

• A similar referendum failed in 2016, with 77% voting no.
• Opposition reaches 58% among voters age 65 and older.
• SCR31, the current racetrack casino proposal, has been sitting in committee since January 13, 2026.

Atlantic City still has the only legal casinos in New Jersey under current law, and any change would require a constitutional amendment approved by lawmakers and then voters. A referendum could happen as early as November if the proposal advances.

New Jersey Casino Expansion Still Lacks Voter Support

Supporters want casinos at existing racetracks, mainly the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park, partly to answer fresh competition from New York. But the poll suggests that argument has not changed many minds. Dan Cassino, a Professor of Government and Politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and the Executive Director of the FDU Poll, said:

“People made up their minds about casino expansion a long time ago. Unless something dramatic happens, putting the issue in front of voters is going to lead to the same outcome as it did before.”

Regional numbers also look rough for expansion backers. In Bergen and Passaic counties, near the Meadowlands, only 38% support new casinos, while 56% oppose them. Younger voters are not carrying the issue either. Among voters 30 and under, 45% support expansion and 49% oppose it.

“The only thing that’s changed since last time this was tried is more casinos opening in New York,” Cassino added. “That matters a lot to the folks who want to open casinos, but it doesn’t seem to matter to the voters.”

Atlantic City remains central to the debate. The city nine casinos generated $2.89 billion from physical slots and table games last year, up 2.7% from 2024. Even so, that total remains far below the more than $5.2 billion recorded in 2006, before nearby competition started to grow. In 2025, only four of the nine casinos posted year over year gains from in person gaming.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio is still trying to reopen the issue through Senate Concurrent Resolution 31. The measure would let voters decide on slots and table games at the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park. Under the proposal, 30% of tax revenue from those sites would go to Atlantic City casinos, and another 7% would fund recovery and improvement programs in Atlantic City. The resolution was introduced on January 13, 2026, and remains in the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee.

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