The three retail casinos in Massachusetts combined to make more than $103 million in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in August, according to the latest report from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC).
This amount is a 5.5% increase from the nearly $98 million they made last August and is close to the record $111.1 million set in March. All three casinos also saw revenue growth compared to the same month last year.
Casinos and the state welcomed August’s unusually high revenue. The state’s casinos have made $799.5 million so far this year.
Which Massachusetts Casinos Fared Best in August?
Encore Boston Harbor, the biggest casino in Massachusetts, made almost $65 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR), with a 5.6% increase from the previous month. MGM Springfield earned nearly $24 million, a small rise from July. Plainridge Park Casino brought in $14.7 million, up by 2.0%.
Plainridge Park had the biggest year-over-year growth at 12.4%, while MGM Springfield saw a slight increase. Encore Boston Harbor’s GGR grew by almost 6% compared to last year.
This increase in revenue also meant higher taxes from the casinos. In August, the three casinos paid a little more than $29 million in taxes. Plainridge Park Casino, a Category 2 slots facility, paid over $7 million in taxes at a 49% rate. This money helps fund the Race Horse Development Fund and Local Aid.
MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor taxed at 25%, paid nearly $6 million and over $16 million, respectively. These taxes support state funds like the Education Fund, Local Capital Improvements Fund and Public Health Trust Fund.
Massachusetts Casinos on Pace To Pass 2023 Figures
Another big win or loss could make or break the year for Massachusetts casinos. If nothing unusual happens, they need to match 2023 revenues to see a slight improvement.
- September 2023: $94 million
- October 2023: $97 million
- November 2023: $95 million
- December 2023: $103 million
Massachusetts casinos earned $389 million from September to December 2023, contributing to a total of $1.2 billion for the entire year.
Massachusetts Sports Betting Revenue Also Up
The Massachusetts sports betting market had a standout month. The MGC reported $33 million in sports betting revenue, a 48% increase from $22 million last August. This increase follows a 40% year-on-year revenue boost in July. Online operators dominated the market, with the top sports betting apps generating $33 million, or 99% of August’s total.
- DraftKings online sportsbook led the market in August, earning $16 million in revenue, more than the second and third-place operators combined.
- FanDuel came in second with almost $11 million in revenue, while BetMGM took third place with nearly $2 million.
- Bally Bet reported the lowest total of $222,000, but August marked its first full month of operation in the state after launching on July 2.
A total of seven online sportsbooks are available in Massachusetts, including Bally Bet, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, ESPN Bet, Fanatics and FanDuel.
Calculators
