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[toc]The opening of MGM National Harbor outside the Washington D.C. area came with much fanfare and millions of dollars in revenue.
The first month Maryland had six operational casinos in the state resulted in record monthly revenue of $113.5 million. It easily bests the previous record of $104.3 million.
More the merrier for MD casinos so far
The introduction of a sixth casino in the state helped to generate $133 million in casino revenue.
According to the monthly report from the state lottery, Maryland took in $83.6 million in slots revenue and another $49.9 million from table games. With the record revenue, there was $41.3 million generated in taxes.
The introduction of a new property did not hamper Horseshoe Baltimore, Ocean Downs, and Rocky Gap casinos. All three saw revenue increases compared to December of 2015.
Said Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica in a press release:
“We anticipated that December would be a record-breaking month, and we are tremendously enthusiastic about the future of Maryland’s casino program. MGM National Harbor is an outstanding facility in an ideal location, and we are confident that its success will fuel the continued growth of revenue that s vital state programs.”
Not all the news was positive, however.
Maryland Live!, which is located between D.C. and Baltimore, saw a $6 million (roughly 11 percent) decline in revenue from December 2015. The Hollywood Casino in Perryville also saw revenues dip.
If National Harbor were excluded from the calculations, the gaming industry would have seen a dip of 3.8 percent. The Maryland casino industry is still relatively new. The first casino in Perryville opened in 2010. Casinos opened at a rate of one a year, save for 2015.
Overall, casino revenue was up to around $1.2 billion for the year last year. In 2015, revenues came in at just over $1 billion.
National Harbor earns over $41 million
MGM National Harbor took in over $41.9 million in gambling revenue during its first not-quite-full month of operation. The property opened on Dec. 8 and quickly started averaging 30,000 patrons a day.
The slots revenue for the property came in at almost $31 million. Table games brought in $17 million. Of that, $12.6 million (roughly 41 percent) goes to the state’s Education Trust Fund.
The new property can stake claim to the highest revenue per slot machine at $313.59 compared to Maryland Live!, which is second with $255.60 per machine.
Maryland Live! on top with $48 million
The top earner in the state is still the Maryland Live! Casino in Hanover, MD. The property took in $31 in slots revenue and another $17 million from table games. Of that, $14.4 million went to the Education Trust Fund.
Keep in mind that Maryland Live! is still on top, but January will be the first full month of operation for National Harbor. The extra days could be enough to knock Maryland Live! from the top spot.
Image credit: Cvandyke / Shutterstock, Inc.
