Maryland Casino Sales Increase as Lottery Sales Decrease
Wednesday August 6th 2014Casinos in Maryland are enjoying a surge in popularity as players flock to play slots, poker and table games. Former lottery players are eschewing scratch-off tickets and draw games such as Mega Millions in favor of visiting the new casinos constructed across the state.
Marissa Delawder, a casino visitor who spoke to the Maryland Reporter, said that she used to purchase lottery tickets quite often but had recently changed her habits. “Coming to the casino is just a lot more exciting...here, you get to see your money go up and down. It’s like a game. With a scratch-off, you buy it and that’s it,” she said.
Lottery revenues dropped by $1.7 billion in the 2013 fiscal year and the Maryland Lottery is braced for another decrease this year. A state report found a direct relationship between the opening of the new casinos and plummeting lottery ticket sales. Players who used to enjoy purchasing draw games or scratch-offs now seem to prefer what the casinos have to offer.
Lottery retailers facing an increased level of competition for the dollars in their traditional customer’s pockets are feeling the strain. One small business owner said that he had more customers before the casinos opened and that fewer people were stopping in to play keno games or buy lottery tickets.
Jack Milani, part owner of Monaghan’s Pub, believes that the drop off in customers playing Keno and scratch-off games is a direct result of the new casinos opening across the state and he is concerned that he will have to cut his employees’ hours if the trend continues.
However, buying lottery tickets doesn’t just give players the chance to improve their own financial position but also helps the Maryland Lottery support education, public health and a host of other good causes. Why not visit the Maryland Lottery website for more information about the games you can play? Tickets for Mega Millions, Powerball and other great draw games can be purchased from any of Maryland’s 4,200 lottery retailers.