Maryland Casinos Set New Monthly Revenue Record in July

Maryland casinos have posted a new gaming record in July by posting a total of more than $180 million through the six facilities in the state. Since March it has been the third time the state’s casinos have generated new gaming records.

Gross gaming revenue (GGR) from the state’s six casinos generated a total of $181.1 million in July, breaking the previous record of $172.4 million posted in May. Last month’s casino revenue also represented 28.7% in the year-over-year comparison.

Casinos began to operate at 50% capacity last July, the first full month that the gaming venues were allowed to open after being shuttered in March 2020 due to the pandemic.

Maryland casinos set gaming revenue records in March and May, and five of the top six single-month totals in the all-time history of Old Line State’s casinos have come this year alone.

The state government generated $77.3 million of July’s gaming revenue from casinos, with the lion’s share going to Maryland’s Education Trust Fund.

Further Detail

Of the total GGR, slot machines won $122.7 million, and tables games took in $57.4 million in July. The increased revenue allowed the state’s Education Trust Fund to raise over $56.2 million in July from casinos.

Casino revenues also support the communities and jurisdictions where the gaming properties are situated, in addition to the state horse racing industry and minority- and women-owned businesses.

The pandemic-led restrictions had forced many gamblers for the greater part of the last year to stay at home. However, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan lifted all remaining COVID-19-related operating restrictions on gaming venues in mid-March, the first month that the state’s six casinos saw record revenue of $169.1 million.

Revenue By Casino

MGM National Harbor, the largest casino in Maryland, saw $72.3 million in gaming revenue in July, representing a 38.2% increase in the year-over-year comparison.

Live! Casino & Hotel generated $62.9 million in gaming revenue last month, up 22.1% from a year prior.

Horseshoe Casino Baltimore – the second-largest casino in Old Line State with a 122,000-square-foot gaming floor – also recovered from continuous declines in gaming revenue. The Caesars-owned casino had been reporting dipping casino numbers over the past five years until the trend was reversed this July.

Horseshoe Baltimore reported a GGR of $19.34 million, a gain of 22.4% on July 2020. The number, however, was almost the same from July 2019 when Horseshoe had seen $19.38 million.

Even better days are ahead for Horseshoe Baltimore as Maryland has legalized sports betting and prepares to launch by this fall. The Caesars-owned casino is located few steps away from M&T Bank Stadium, where the Orioles and Ravens play their home games.

Maryland’s other three smaller casinos, Hollywood Casinos, Ocean Downs, and Rocky Gap Casino all had also seen a rise in year-over-gaming revenue in July.