Table Game Decline Weighs Down Maryland’s January Casino Revenue

^{The Live! Casino & Hotel was a key contributor to Maryland's casino revenue in January. (Photo: JL Images / Alamy)}

Maryland casinos recorded $147.9 million in revenue for January, down from the previous year’s total of $151.8 million and representing a year-on-year decrease of 2.6%.  

 The figures, published by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, report that of that combined total, slots accounted for $104.3 million, up 3.7% year-on-year from $100.6 million, while table games revenue fell 14.9% year-on-year from $51.2 million to $43.6 million.  

While Maryland's land-based casinos may not have had the best month in terms of generated casino revenue, lawmakers in the Old Line State have introduced two bills in the current legislative session that would ban unregulated sweepstakes casinos.  

MGM National Harbor Leads in January 

Of the state’s six commercial casinos, four recorded year-on-year revenue increases, while only two had declines.  

MGM National Harbor led the rest in January, generating $61.8 million in revenue, down 8.5% and the most significant year-on-year decline of all six casinos. Slots revenue at the casino remained stable with $38.7 million, but table games declined 19.5% to $23.2 million.  

The only other casino to record a revenue decline last month was Horseshoe Casino, dropping 7.8% year-on-year to $12.4 million. Of this total, slots were up 4% to $9.7 million, while table games decreased 34.1% to $2.7 million. 

Live! Casino & Hotel had the second-highest revenue for the month, rising 2.2% to $56.4 million. Slots at the casino were up 4.8% to $40.6 million, while table games revenue dropped 3.9% to $15.8 million.  

 Rocky Gap Casino reported the highest year-on-year revenue increase of the six casinos, rising 19.4% to $4 million. Slots increased 22.1% to $3.5 million while table games remained stable at $413,355.  

 The only other double-digit revenue rise came from Oceans Down Casino, which increased 13.2% to $6.5 million. Slot revenue at Oceans Down rose 15.9% to $6 million, as table games dropped 12.2% to $469,985.  

 Maryland Lawmakers Target Sweepstakes Casinos 

Two bills that potentially ban unregulated sweepstakes gaming have been filed in the current legislative session. House Bill 295, which has been carried over from a previous bill, and Senate Bill 112 would prohibit unregulated casinos that offer sports betting and casino-style games from operating in the state.  

 House Bill 295 is currently before the House Ways and Means Committee, with a hearing scheduled for early February. Senate Bill 112 is in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, with its latest hearing scheduled for late January. 

 Both bills seek to prohibit the operation of unregulated casinos that use or promote multi-currency payment systems, casino-style games, lottery games, or sports wagering. Any operator found in violation will face penalties subject to the Annotated Code of Maryland. This includes up to three years of imprisonment or fines ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.  

 Maryland joins a growing list of states that have introduced legislation on sweepstakes gaming in recent years. So far, states that have banned sweepstakes casinos include California, Connecticut, Montana, New Jersey, and, most recently, New York.  

This also isn’t the first time Maryland lawmakers have introduced bills regarding online casinos. Last year, State Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary introduced a House Bill that would have legalized real-money gaming, but it stalled in the Ways and Means Committee.  

As the threat of illegal gambling looms, lawmakers in Maryland appear to be keen on either regulating online gaming or imposing bans that target unregulated platforms.