Maryland casinos ended their month-to-month gaming income slide final month, because the six properties noticed their mixed win enhance by 1.4%.
MGM Nationwide Harbor led Maryland’s on line casino trade in February 2024 with gross gaming income of $66.8 million. Maryland casinos collectively gained $159.2 million in the course of the month. (Picture: Getty)
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Management Fee reviews that the industrial brick-and-mortar casinos generated February gross gaming income (GGR) of roughly $159.2 million. That represented an almost $2.2 million enhance from February 2023.
State gaming taxes for the month elevated about $872K to nearly $67.8 million. A lot of the tax receipts — $48.9 million — go to the state’s Training Belief Fund to profit Ok-12 public colleges.
Questionable Achieve
February 2024 benefited from having an additional day with it being a intercalary year. With $159.2 million equating to about $5.5 million in every day GGR, February 2024 would have marked a year-over-year lower had it not been for the twenty ninth day.
Retail gaming, or in-person playing at casinos, has been on a downward pattern in Maryland and throughout a lot of the nation. Previous to February, Maryland casinos reported year-over-year declines in 5 of the earlier six months, with December marking the lone acquire, and a marginal one at simply 0.3%.
Due to the favorable comparable with an additional day in February 2024, Maryland casinos skilled their second month of year-over-year progress since August.
MGM Nationwide Harbor remained the richest on line casino with the built-in resort exterior of Washington, DC profitable $66.8 million, a 1.9% enchancment from February 2023.
Stay! On line casino Maryland close to BWI airport was, nonetheless, essentially the most liable for the February acquire. The Hanover on line casino gained greater than $59.3 million, a 6.5% year-over-year enhance. Horseshoe Baltimore continued its woes, with the $15 million gained representing an 8% GGR discount.
The state’s three smaller casinos reported combined outcomes. Hollywood Perryville noticed GGR climb 1.4% to $7.4 million, however Ocean Downs reported a 7% slide to $6.4 million, and Rock Hole’s win fell nearly 19% to $4.3 million.
The income is inclusive of slot machines and desk video games. Sports activities betting win will likely be reported later by the state gaming fee.
iGaming Concerns
Throughout a gaming trade assembly this week in New York, analysts stated they assume New York and Maryland are the likeliest states to subsequent legalize iGaming. That’s not an enormous shock, as laws to authorize on-line slots and interactive desk video games has been launched in every state.
Senate Invoice 603 in January was filed in Annapolis by state Sen. Ron Watson (D-Prince George). The laws seeks to permit every of the state’s six casinos to companion with as much as two on-line on line casino platforms. Income from the web operations could be taxed at 47%, with many of the cash allotted for public college infrastructure.
The union representing the hundreds of employees the casinos make use of is against on-line gaming on claims that the expanded gaming would poach play from the six brick-and-mortar institutions and result in job cuts. On line casino reps have differing opinions on the roles assertion.
1000’s of individuals in Maryland will lose their jobs,” stated Mark Stewart, govt vp and basic counsel at The Cordish Corporations, which operates Stay! On line casino. Stewart stated not solely on line casino employees, however staff at close by companies like eating places and retail retailers, would undergo.
Horseshoe Baltimore Common Supervisor Randall Conroy disagrees. He thinks iGaming might complement the state’s retail on line casino trade.
For Maryland to legalize iGaming, voters should approve of the gaming growth by a statewide poll referendum. A current ballot recommended there may not be ample assist to amend the Maryland Structure to permit on-line playing.
