Maryland's Casino Revenues Decreased by 0.9% in January 2025
In the heart of Maryland, the state's land-based casinos have been grappling with varying fortunes as the debate surrounding online gambling continues.
January 2025 saw a significant decline in revenue for Ocean Downs Casino, with a 6.4% drop resulting in a total of $5.7 million. This steep drop follows an even more substantial 12.9% decline in December 2024 for Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, generating $34.3 million. Despite these setbacks, Rocky Gap Casino Resort managed to buck the trend with a 3.8% revenue growth, reaching $3.3 million.
However, as of mid-2025, online casino gambling remains illegal in Maryland. Despite multiple legislative efforts, including recent bills such as HB 17 introduced in June, no law permitting online casinos has been passed. The future outlook remains optimistic, with advocates hoping for legalization as early as 2026, with operations expected around 2027 if passed.
The concerns of brick-and-mortar casino operators about potential revenue loss and reduced foot traffic have contributed to these legislative delays. Bills have been altered to try to gain the support of land-based casino owners, but so far, none have been successful.
In the month of January 2025, Live! Casino and Hotel experienced a 2.9% drop in revenue, generating a total of $55.1 million. Only three out of six privately owned casinos in Maryland experienced revenue growth, with Hollywood Casino Perryville seeing a 1.0% increase, totaling $6.6 million. MGM National Harbor reported the highest revenue growth of 2.3%, generating $67.6 million.
Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, however, experienced the worst month out of all the casinos, with a 7.9% drop in revenue, totaling $13.4 million. Despite the overall drop in revenue, there was a 0.8% increase in funds contributed to the state's Education Trust Fund and other local jurisdictions and women-owned businesses in Maryland.
The growing popularity of online casino gaming is attributed to the advantages it offers, such as massive game libraries, impressive bonuses, and various payment methods, including cryptocurrency. As the debate continues, Maryland's brick-and-mortar casinos will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on the progress of online gambling legislation.
Casino operators in Maryland continue to monitor the progress of online gambling legislation, as the lack of legislation causes concerns about potential revenue loss and reduced foot traffic. Despite some casinos experiencing declines in revenue, such as Horseshoe Casino Baltimore and Ocean Downs Casino, the interest in casino games persists, with many turning to online platforms offering massive game libraries, impressive bonuses, and various payment methods, including cryptocurrency.
