Maryland Casino Revenue Down for Fourth Consecutive Month, August Win Totals $160M

Maryland casino revenue took a hit for a fourth consecutive month, with August win 6% lower than a year ago. The exterior of Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland is pictured in a file photograph. Maryland casino revenue is down 2.5% through four quarters of 2026. (Image: Shutterstock) The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency reports that the six casinos in Maryland generated August 2026 gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $160 million from their slot machines and table games. The monthly total represented a year-over-year decline of nearly $10.3 million. August marked the fourth straight month where gaming win weakened. Compared with the same months in 2025, Maryland casino revenue in May, June, and July was also lower. May was down 3.7% to $169.9 million, June was 2.4% lower at $156.8 million, and July dropped 4.7% to $157.9 million. Through August, 2026 casino revenue in Maryland totaled approximately $1.28 billion. That’s down 2.5%, or about $33.5 million, from 2025. The dip is broad-based rather than driven by a bad couple of months, as GGR in January and February was also lower. Possible Culprits A 2.5% year-over-year decline isn’t reason for panic but does raise questions about why players might be pulling back their play. The public’s opinion on the state of the economy is quite negative, and there are growing signs that consumers are becoming more cautious. Pew Research’s July survey found that only 24% of Americans rated current economic conditions as excellent or good, while 35% called them poor. Less than a quarter of the public expected the economy to improve over the next 12 months. There are also concerns about changing consumer habits when it comes to gambling. The emergence and proliferation of online prediction markets, which allow the public to stake financial trades on the outcomes of various events ranging from the weather and sports to tonight’s Survivor episode, are also said to be cutting into traditional gambling activities. While Maryland has online sports betting, it does not have iGaming. Big Two Both Down Maryland’s casino industry is dominated by two properties, MGM National Harbor and Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland. Through August, MGM’s GGR totaled $535.9 million, a 3.4% decline. Live! reported GGR of $466 million, or 3% lower. The declines at MGM National Harbor and Live! Maryland are particularly significant because the two properties account for the vast majority of the state’s gaming tax revenue. Two of the resort-style casinos were positive, with Ocean Downs’ $67.5 million in GGR representing a 3.8% improvement. Rocky Gap, the smallest player in the six-casino market, grew play by 2.1% to $31.2 million. The Sphere at MGM National Harbor could bring more players and revenue from neighboring states into Maryland’s gaming market when it opens, but that isn’t expected until around 2030. The market’s performance in the final months of the year will provide a better picture of whether the 2026 declines are a temporary setback or evidence of a more prolonged slowdown. The post Maryland Casino Revenue Down for Fourth Consecutive Month, August Win Totals $160M appeared first on Casino.org.