Maryland casino revenues hold up despite pandemic

As Maryland casinos operate with a variety of sanitary measures in place, revenues remain fairly strong.

US.- Despite the impact of the pandemic, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission has revealed that casinos in the state are doing better perhaps would be expected.

The commission reported that August 2020 was the eighth best month on record for Maryland casino revenue.

The casinos collectively generated $149.5 million in August. That’s a drop of just 3.1 per cent year-on-year.

It’s good going considered that the casinos are currently operating at 50 per cent reduced capacity.

A range of sanitary restrictions remain in place, including temperature screenings on entry and the use of plexiglass dividers at tables. Many of the casinos’ facilities have been rearranged to encourage social distancing.

The state’s two smallest casinos actually reported year-over-year increases. Revenue was up by 6 per cent at Hollywood Perryville and up by 15 per cent for Rocky Gap.

Revenues from the casino industry are an important source of funds for the state of Maryland. Casinos contributed $524.5 million in tax revenues in the last fiscal year.