Maryland Live has regained its former status as the state’s top casino revenue earner one month after losing its crown to MGM Resorts’ new upstart property.
Figures released Monday by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming agency show the state’s six casino operators had another record month in February, generating gaming revenue of $128.7m.
The figure is $2.5m higher than the state reported in January, the first full month of operations at MGM’s new National Harbor casino. However, subtracting National Harbor’s contributions, the five casinos that were open in February 2016 saw their collective haul decline 11.1% year-on-year.
In the years since it opened, Maryland Live had been the state’s unquestioned cock of the walk, handily fending off challenges from new entrants like Caesars Entertainment’s Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, which opened in August 2014.
Maryland Live’s winning streak ran out in January, when it was relegated to second place behind National Harbor. Undeterred, Maryland Live roared back to life in February, claiming top spot with revenue of $46.3m, which is $2.3m higher than January’s total but $7.7m less than the property earned in February 2016.
National Harbor reported revenue of just under $45.8m, around $3m less than its January total. As with January’s numbers, the property had a roughly even split in its revenue sources, earning $22.1m from table games, and $23.7m from slots.
Horseshoe Baltimore reported $22m in February, up nearly 10% from January but down 12% year-on-year. The year-on-year decline came courtesy of a nearly $3m decline in slots play, while tables improved $1m.
As for the state’s also-rans, Hollywood Casino Perryville was off 4.6% year-on-year to $6.2m, Rocky Gap gained 14% to over $4.3m and Ocean Downs rose 3.5% to just over $4m.
It remains to be seen whether Maryland Live will continue to reassert its once dominant position now that the hoopla over National Harbor’s grand opening has subsided, or whether MGM has some more tricks left up its sleeve to keep public interest sparked.
