Michigan regulator announces modest Detroit gaming performance

The organization empowered to regulate Detroit’s casino and sports betting marketplace, the state-level Michigan Gaming Control Board, has reported a set of underwhelming monthly results. In August, the Detroit’s three casino concessionaires generated a total of $106.1m in GGR throughout August month, which was approximately a 7% decline on the previous year’s like-for-like figure. Nevertheless, the city’s monthly run rate remained fairly static, delivering just one percentage point down on July’s revenue return.

Unsurprisingly, table games and slots contributed most heavily, with revenue earned accounting for 98% of the total GGR pot. This represented a 6.9% downturn on the August 2021 number, and a 1.4% shortfall on the cash accrued in the 31 days of July.

The MGM Grand assumed the biggest market share out of the three downtown casino establishments, taking close to half of Detroit’s August gaming revenue. MotorCity casino secured almost a third of city business, with the Hollywood Casino acquiring the remaining 21%. MGM’s property led the way in both casino and sports betting enterprises, securing $50.31m and $701,876 across these two verticals respectively. The Hollywood Casino finished a close second in the inter-city sportsbook rankings but were well of the pace in relation to gaming revenue. The Greektown complex won just $21.8m at gaming tables and slot machines, a significant 6.7% drop off in August last year. MotorCity casino was the only operator to register an annual double-digit dip in monthly casino revenue performance but did manage to comfortably shrug off Hollywood Casino to take second place in Detroit’s gaming charts.

Sports betting, facilitated by retail kiosks positioned in each of the three resorts delivered marginal growth on the year. However, even without the forthcoming bump from the re-launch of the NFL season in September, casino sportsbooks still managed to grow 23% on the previous month. The three buildings preside over an impressive combined year-to-date sports betting revenue total of $10.7m.

For the month of August, operator payments made to both the state and city for tax and development agreement purposes amounted to just shy of $140k.