Maryland Casinos Combine to Take In $161M Revenue for June

The six commercial casinos in Maryland combined to take in $161.5 million in June, a 13% boost from the same month in 2019.

Five of the six facilities recorded higher figures than they did 24 months earlier. Comparisons to 2019 are used because in 2020, casinos were closed for much of June because of COVID-19 protocols.

The figure for June – $161,498,128, to be exact – didn’t quite measure up to the record-setting pace that Maryland casinos had going for them in May. That month, the state brought in $172.4 million in casino revenue, breaking the record of $169.2 million set in March.

Casinos Contribute $49.1M to Maryland Education

The casinos made a combined contribution of $49,142,987 in June to the state’s Education Trust Fund, according to figures posted Wednesday by Maryland Lottery and Gaming. That was 9% higher than the $45.1 million put into the ETF in June 2019.

Casino capacity restrictions related to coronavirus have been lifted, though some slot machines and seats at table games continued to be closed to comply with social-distancing guidelines.

Breakdown of Maryland Casino Numbers

The MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill led the state again in revenue for June, pulling in $63.7 million from its 2,200-plus slot machines and 200 table games. Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover was second at nearly $58.5 million. Live! has the most slots in the state, at 3,249, but MGM Casino has the most table games.

The remaining revenue figures for June were: Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, $17 million; Ocean Downs Casino in Berlin, $8.85 million; Hollywood Casino Perryville, $7.7 million; and Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Flintstone, $5.76 million.

Of the $161.5 million in Maryland casino revenue for June, $107.7 million came from Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) and $53.8 million derived from table games.

Meanwhile, the Live! Casino & Hotel has gotten a jump on the impending sports betting in Maryland with a 14,000-square-foot sports bar and sportsbook.

Maryland sports betting is on the way after Gov. Larry Hogan signed a bill into law. On July 1, a commission was assembled to screen for and grant sports betting licenses in the state. The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission is tasked with, among other things, making sure that minority-owned and women-owned businesses have a chance to fully participate in the sports betting process. Online sports betting is likely headed for a 2022 launch, but retail could still happen in 2021. It may be a few more years before online US casinos launch in the Old Line State.