Maryland Casinos Up 9.2% To $94.8m In October

Maryland’s casinos are continuing their winning ways, and according to the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency’s latest report generated $94.8 million in October, a $7.94 million or 9.2% improvement over the $86.8 million collected for the same month in 2014.
Maryland’s casino market has been given a significant boost since a fifth casino, the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, opened for business last year, with a sixth state casino, MGM National Harbor, scheduled to open next year. Commenting on October’s positive results, casino analyst James Karmel said that the figures “show the continuing strength of Maryland gaming [and that] Maryland is still well positioned to attract new players.”
In October, all five of the state’s gambling venues returned year-on-year revenue gains, and leading the market in terms of business was the Maryland Live! Casino, whose 4,059 slot machines and 202 table games generated $55 million last month, up 9.3% year-on-year. As Cordish Companies chairman David Cordish, the casino’s owner, explains:
“Maryland Live had its second straight month where its ’15 revenues exceeded its ’14 revenues for corresponding months. Given the increased competition, this is a remarkable achievement.”
Meanwhile, the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore saw revenues increase by 9.8% to $24.7 million from its 2,200 slot machines and 178 table games, with Karmel commenting:
“It’s particularly good news for Horseshoe [Baltimore] being up over last October. We’re getting further removed from the troubles of the spring. That helps. You also have football season in full swing so that brings people in.”
Elsewhere in the state, the Hollywood Casino Perryville’s 850 slot machines and 22 table games produced 1.6% more revenues at $6.2 million; the Casino at Ocean Downs 800 slot machines generated 13% more revenues at $4.7 million; and the Rocky Gap Casino Resort saw revenues from its 631 slot machines and 18 table games rise by 10.8% to $4.2 million in October.