The Michigan Gaming Control Board has revealed that revenue generated by the three commercial casinos in Detroit was down 39.2% year-on-year during the four months to the end of April 2020.
Revenue for the year-to-date period amounted to $299.2m, down from $492.1m in the same four months last year. This was down to the closure of the three casinos since March 16 as a result of novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
MGM Grand Detroit led the market during the four-month period with $126.5m in revenue, down 39.7% from $210.0m last year.
MotorCity Casino followed with $102.6m, which was 39.2% lower than in 2019, while the Greektown Casino also saw its revenue decline 38.2% year-on-year to $70.1m.
The Board usually reports monthly aggregate revenue figures for the casinos, but opted against this in April due to the casino closures. Casino revenue in April 2019 amounted to $125.1m.
Through to 30 April, the casinos paid a total of $24.2m in gaming taxes to the State of Michigan, down from $39.8m last year –a decrease of $15.6m.
The three casinos also submitted $35.6m in wagering taxes and development agreement payments to the City of Detroit, $23.0m less than the $58.6m paid over Q1 2019.
In terms of daily fantasy sports, for the month ended March 31, adjusted revenue came in at $431,620, with some $36,256 paid in state taxes.
Fantasy sports adjusted revenue in the first quarter – the three months through to March 31 – totalled $2.9m, while operators paid $240,547 in taxes to the state.
The Board did not report further figures for sports betting, with the state having only opened its legal wagering market on March 11. Last month, it was revealed that the casinos in generated $105,548 in retail sports wagering revenue during the few days legal betting, before postponed sports events and casino closures halted activity.
However, earlier this month, the Board approved online and mobile betting on advance deposit horse racing after a new order from executive director Richard S. Kalm.
The order followed an amendment to the state’s horse racing laws in December 2019, allowing for third party companies to offer wagering on live and simulcast pari-mutuel racing. The order means these parties are now also allowed to take bets online.