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Friday, July 01, 2011

Ocean Downs Profits Up

The Casino at Ocean Downs might be on a hot streak, with higher revenue every month since opening in January, but this and Maryland’s other gambling venue, Hollywood Casino in Perryville, is up against ramped up competition from the gambling playgrounds in neighboring states.


This first summer of gambling tourism for Ocean Downs and Maryland’s other casino, Hollywood Casino in Perryville, will see if the curiosity factor and location will help them lure away gambling dollars that have been going to casinos in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia. The combined 18 casinos in those states offer games that Maryland does not have, such as poker, blackjack, craps and roulette.

The Ocean Downs casino on Route 589 near Ocean Pines took in $3.7 million in net gambling revenue in May, an increase of $200,000 compared to April, according to the Maryland Lottery. Hollywood Casino in Perryville brought in $9.6 million in May, down from $10 million in April. Ocean Downs has 750 slot machines, which is half of the 1,500 electronic games at Perryville’s casino.

As a new player in the gaming business, Maryland has a long road ahead to match the high-rolling profits of the established casinos across the state borders. Pennsylvania’s 10 casinos raked in approximately $2.5 billion in 2010, according to the American Gaming Association’s 2011 State of the States report released in May. That report showed Delaware’s three casinos collected $571 million and West Virginia’s five casinos brought that state approximately $878 million.

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2 comments:

Unknown said...

Keep bringing in the money. The Western shore needs it (and is guaranteed it) for their schools.

A side note: The Ocean Downs Casino informed Shore Transit that they are NOT interested in any bus service. That could be a good or bad thing. Gamble there if you want to drive there and accept a 38% payout vs the OC American Legion's machines (sorry, there is only 5 but the beer is cheaper).

Anonymous said...

Ocean downs has 814 machines and a higher payout than 38%. If you play a $0.01 machine on 1 line then of course you don't win idiot.