Lawmakers Yet to Renew Atlantic City Casino Deal
New Jersey has not introduced legislation to extend the casino PILOT agreement, which is set to expire at the end of 2026.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Gambling
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Should New Jersey renew the casino tax agreement that funds Atlantic City?
New Jersey lawmakers had not introduced legislation to renew the Atlantic City casino PILOT agreement as of Monday. The current agreement is set to sunset at the end of 2026 unless renewed.
Why it matters
The PILOT agreement, in effect for a decade, was enacted to stabilize Atlantic City's finances and reduce costly casino tax appeals. Without renewal, casino tax payments would revert to payments based on assessed property values.
Atlantic City received $54.4 million in PILOT payments in 2025, and Atlantic County received $18.6 million. The 2021 amendments cut casino payments by roughly $55 million a year, and the county was paid $15 million in June to settle a lawsuit over those amendments.
The players
Atlantic City
Atlantic City is the New Jersey seaside resort city whose nine casinos generate the gaming revenue that the PILOT agreement is designed to support.
Atlantic County
Atlantic County is the New Jersey county that receives PILOT payments and was paid $15 million to settle a lawsuit over the 2021 amendments.
The details
The first PILOT legislation was adopted in 2016 and calculated payments based on the prior year's gross gaming revenue. A 2021 revision, signed into law December 22, 2021, removed online betting and online sports betting from the definition of gross gaming revenue.
Timeline
2016: First PILOT legislation adopted.
June 2021: PILOT legislation introduced in the legislature.
December 22, 2021: Revised PILOT law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.
End of 2026: Current PILOT agreement scheduled to sunset.
Legal Context
The 2016 PILOT legislation set the framework for Atlantic City casino payments, and the 2021 revision narrowed that framework by excluding online wagering from gross gaming revenue. Renewal now faces the same tension between casino revenue and municipal stability that drove the original deal.
Atlantic City and Atlantic County budgets depend on these payments, so a lapse would shift how local services are funded. Residents and visitors should watch whether casino tax obligations change if the agreement expires.
The takeaway
Casino tax policy in Atlantic City is tied directly to municipal and county finances, so the outcome of renewal will affect local budgets as well as casino operators. Readers following the issue should track the remaining legislative sessions before the agreement lapses.
What happens next
The current PILOT agreement is scheduled to sunset at the end of 2026 unless lawmakers renew it.
Further reading
Explore more on Gambling to see how New Jersey's casino policy fits into the wider industry.
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Should New Jersey renew the casino tax agreement that funds Atlantic City?
