Encore Boston Harbor, the newest casino in Massachusetts, in December had its best month since opening. But the state's two other casinos saw gambling revenues drop to their lowest levels yet.
According to the latest figures from the state gaming commission, MGM Springfield collected less than $19 million in gambling revenue for the month.
In a statement, MGM Springfield President Mike Mathis alluded to the snow.
"We’re grateful for the many guests who braved some of December’s most inclement winter weather days in order to be with us, and thrilled many of them were winners at the slots and tables," Mathis said.
MGM's slots payout rate was in line with most other months.
December was a bad month as well for the Plainridge Park slots parlor. Gambling revenue there, at just over $10 million, hit its lowest mark in more than four years in business.
It was a totally different story in Everett, where the casino collected $54 million. That's a new record for the six-month-old resort, driven by a nearly $7 million jump in table game revenue, compared to November.
These revenue numbers have a direct impact on how much tax revenue the state takes in. Massachusetts collects 49% of gross gambling revenue from Plainridge Park, and 25% from the full casinos in Everett and Springfield.
Another factor in all this: employment. According to its most recent jobs report, MGM Springfield had about 2,000 employees, a decline of more than 30% since it opened.
