Maryland casinos take significant coronavirus hit

MGM National Harbor
MGM National Harbor opened in 2016. (WTOP/File Photo)

Maryland’s six casinos took a significant hit in March after all were ordered closed, and in turn, so did the amount of money casinos generate that goes to fund state programs in Maryland.

Maryland Lottery and Gaming said the state’s six casinos generated a total of $94.6 million in March, down 57.9% from March of 2019, when casinos generated a single month record of $163.3 million.

Maryland’s take was $28.3 million, including $21.2 million for the state’s Education Trust Fund. In February, Maryland collected $62.9 million from casinos.


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As part of Gov. Larry Hogan’s declaration of a state of emergency on March 5, all six Maryland casinos were ordered close at midnight March 16, in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The biggest drop in March gaming revenue was at Baltimore’s Horseshoe Casino, falling 61.2% to $9.9 million.

Gaming revenue at MGM National Harbor, the largest of the six casinos for gaming revenue, fell 58.6% to $26 million. Live! Casino & Hotel in Arundel Mills saw gaming revenue fall 55.6% from a year earlier, to $24.8 million.

Gaming revenue at the state’s three smaller casinos, Hollywood Casino Perryville, Ocean Downs Casino and Rocky Gap Casino Resort, fell between 58% and 59%.

Maryland Lottery and Gaming posts monthly and year-to-date casino gaming revenue contributions to state programs online.

Jeff Clabaugh

Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for WTOP as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the WTOP newsroom staff in January 2016.

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