Gambling regulators in the US state of Maryland have reported that the state’s five casinos collectively won over $103 million from gamblers during the month of April. The Old Line State has effectively set a new record for gaming revenue in the state, overtaking its previous record of $99 million in July last year, and the figure was almost twenty per cent higher than the revenue taken in the same month last year.
Maryland has had legalized gambling for the past eight years, and it has proved fruitful for the state. Maryland has five casinos: Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore in Baltimore City, Casino at Ocean Downs in Worcester County, Maryland Live Casino in Anne Arundel County and Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County. A sixth casino is also built near the nation’s capital in Prince George’s County. The state’s first casino opened in September 2010, two years after casino gambling became legal in Maryland.
All five of the state’s casinos have shown growth year on year, but Horseshoe Casino Baltimore had by far the most significant improvement from April 2015, generating a record $30.2 million this April. This figure is an over 30 percent increase from revenue collected the previous year. The Maryland Live Casino had almost $58 million in wins from table games and slots, and had about $2 million of April’s poker revenue. The Hollywood Casino’s poker room has eight tables and raked in around $100,000 this April.
Just over $38 million came from table games at casinos, with $3 million coming from non-banked games, primarily poker. Maryland poker rooms have collected around $12 million in revenue throughout April 2016. Maryland’s casinos contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to state programs every year – 20% goes into the Maryland Education Trust Fund (with the other 80% going to casino operators themselves). Gambling regulators in the state of Maryland have said that they were happy with April’s record, and they predict that it will even be broken soon. MGM Resorts is planning to open a $1.3 billion casino near Washington DC later this year.
“This is another great milestone for Maryland’s casinos,” Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to continued growth of the state’s casino industry, and of course that means more funding for important state programs.”
Maryland’s new record is particularly impressive especially in comparison to other US states where casino gambling is legal, such as Pennsylvania, which has 12 casinos, in which the poker market is worth roughly $5 million a month.
