The latest Maryland gaming revenue numbers show a mixed bag for December. Despite being up month-over-month, the state saw a slight dip in revenue compared to last year.
Casinos like MGM and Hollywood had some major movement from November to December. But a closer look at the latest trends uncovers the significant contributions the six casinos in Maryland are making to the state's economy.
Maryland Casinos See Slight Dip Year-Over-Year
In December 2024, Maryland's six casinos collectively generated $164,105,250 in revenue from their gaming activities. While this figure marks a slight dip of 0.9% compared to the same month in 2023, the fluctuation is considered to be minimal.
The good news is that Maryland’s casinos maintained the revenue momentum seen in November, when they reported $158.1 million. This consistency is encouraging for future prospects.
Another positive sign is the increased contributions from casino revenue to the Education Trust Fund, which rose by 4.2% in November, highlighting positive trends from earlier in the fiscal year.
State Contributions Also Down Slightly
The casino industry in Maryland is a key player in funding state initiatives. In December 2024, casinos contributed a substantial $69,837,949 to the state's coffers.
Although this represents a 0.5% decrease from December 2023, the contributions remain significant. Of this total, $50,413,308 was channeled into the Education Trust Fund—still a vital investment in the state's educational future, though slightly lower than the previous year.
Casinos in Maryland Experience Year-over-Year Growth
Despite the slight decreases in monthly figures, a broader perspective reveals positive growth.
Over the first half of Fiscal Year 2025, spanning from July to December 2024, casino gaming revenue experienced a 1.2% increase compared to the same period in the prior year.
Community and Economic Impact Significant
In addition to funding state initiatives, the revenue generated by casinos in Maryland benefits local jurisdictions, Maryland’s horse racing industry, and small, minority, and women-owned businesses.
Over the first half of Fiscal Year 2025, casinos generated 1.2% more revenue than during the same period in 2024. The state's share of gaming revenue increased by 2.5%, and contributions to the Education Trust Fund rose by 2.6%.
MGM National Harbor Leads All Six Casinos in Maryland
Maryland's casino landscape includes:
- MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County
- Live! Casino & Hotel in Anne Arundel County
- Horseshoe Casino Baltimore in Baltimore City
- Ocean Downs Casino in Worcester County
- Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County
- Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County
Taking a closer look at the numbers, MGM National Harbor led all 6 casinos in revenue last month, generating almost $74 million, while Horseshoe Casino reported the largest decline, down nearly 13% to $13.2 million.
Here are the gaming revenue totals for December 2024 from Maryland’s casinos:
- MGM National Harbor (2,305 slot machines, 211 table games): $73,643,015 in December 2024, an increase of $2,804,672 (4.0%) from December 2023.
- Live! Casino & Hotel (3,800 slot machines, 179 table games): $59,132,906 in December 2024, a decrease of $1,435,121 (-2.4%) from December 2023.
- Horseshoe Casino (1,348 slot machines, 115 table games): $13,233,570 in December 2024, a decrease of $1,961,739 (-12.9%) from December 2023.
- Hollywood Casino (730 slot machines, 23 table games): $7,134,426 in December 2024, a decrease of $459,150 (-6.0%) from December 2023.
- Ocean Downs Casino (867 slot machines, 19 table games): $7,061,458 in December 2024, an increase of $54,425 (0.8%) from December 2023.
- Rocky Gap Casino (634 slot machines, 16 table games): $3,899,875 in December 2024, a decrease of $527,001 (-11.9%) from December 2023.
The Maryland casino scene continues to evolve. While there's a slight decrease in revenue and contributions in the short term, overall trends show positive growth, reflecting the industry's resilience and its integral role in supporting statewide initiatives.
Online casinos are not legal in Maryland, but residents in the Old Line State can use social and sweepstakes casinos online. These sites let you play for fun or buy in-game currency (like gold coins), which you can use to redeem cash prizes.
Platforms like High 5 Casino, McLuck, and WOW Vegas allow players 18 and older and offer slots, table games, and more. Just remember to always play responsibly.
