Pictured: MGM National Harbor. (Credit: Shuttertock)

MGM National Harbor Leads Maryland’s Casino Sector

Originally posted on Action Network | By Dave Grendzynski | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 7:33 AM ET

According to the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, the six casinos in the Old Line State generated a combined $170.3 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR) for August 2025.

Despite the big figure, it represents a 2.1% year-over-year decrease.

This continues a downward trend that started earlier this year. Last month, revenue was down about 2% as well. This, after casinos in Maryland saw numbers drop in May, decrease in June, saw a slight drop in April, and even March figures were down year-over-year.

August Casino Revenue Overview

The largest contributor was MGM National Harbor, despite a notable yearly decline, while several other casinos experienced modest growth or smaller declines in revenue.

MGM National Harbor: Generated $70.1 million, the highest among Maryland casinos, but down 6.5% from August 2024.
Live! Casino & Hotel: Delivered $63.2 million, up 2.1% year-over-year, indicating solid performance and resilience.
Horseshoe Casino Baltimore: Reported $15.1 million, an increase of 4.4% over last August.
Ocean Downs Casino: Saw a rise with $10.5 million, up 3.7% compared to the same month last year.
Hollywood Casino Perryville: Decreased sharply, bringing in $6.7 million, down 13% year-over-year.
Rocky Gap Casino Resort: Remained relatively flat with $4.9 million, a slight decrease of 1.1%.

The overall decline was attributed mainly to the steeper drop at MGM National Harbor, despite smaller casinos like Ocean Downs and Horseshoe Casino showing improvement.

Maryland Education Trust Fund Benefits

Maryland collected nearly $73 million from its share of the gaming revenue last month. Of that, over $52 million was allocated to the Education Trust Fund.

Here’s a breakdown of how some of the money was distributed:

Source: Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency

This marked the second month in Maryland’s fiscal year, maintaining the state’s record of strong annual casino contributions, even with the moderate year-over-year drop.

During fiscal year 2025, spanning from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, the Maryland Lottery, along with casinos, sports wagering, and daily fantasy sports, collectively generated $1.59 billion for state programs and services.

Maryland Casino Trends Continue to Shift

The larger casinos, especially MGM National Harbor, faced greater headwinds, while the smaller and mid-tier properties posted modest gains or steady results.

The figures demonstrate both the seasonal patterns for casino visitation and the potential impact of new forms of legalized gambling or regional competition.

Although it’s unlikely that Maryland will legalize online casinos anytime soon, overall, August 2025 saw Maryland’s casino sector remaining robust but experiencing a shifting revenue landscape, especially among the top contributors.

Lawmakers will likely reintroduce legislation to authorize online casinos in the 2026 session. And will look for revenue to bounce back in the traditional casinos in August.

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