Michigan Online Casinos Report Record Revenue Following Detroit Casino Workers Strike
Posted on: December 23, 2023, 02:12h.
Last updated on: December 22, 2023, 04:13h.
Michigan online casinos appear to have profited from last month’s strike action by Detroit casino workers.
In November, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) reported online casino revenue of $175.3 million – the highest monthly figure for the state’s internet gaming platforms since their inception in 2021.
The previous best iGaming month in Michigan was March 2023 with revenue of $171.8 million. Online sportsbooks added $33.9 million last month, bringing total internet gaming revenue to $209.2 million.
Despite November’s success, March 2023 remains the best ever for online gaming in Michigan, with combined revenue of approximately $216.3 million.
New Jersey and Pennsylvania also experienced strong iGaming months, with the former reporting a record $171.5 million in revenue, and the latter generating a $158 million gross revenue for online casinos.
Commercial and Tribal iGaming, Sports Betting
In Michigan, the state’s commercial casinos and gaming tribes collaborate with third-party partners to offer online casino games and sports betting.
BetMGM, the online casino and sportsbook partner of MGM Grand Detroit, leads the state’s iGaming market, with $46.7 million in online casino winnings last month. FanDuel, MotorCity’s iGaming partner, was next, bringing in $43.9 million.
The Bay Mills Indian Community, in partnership with DraftKings, achieved a tribal segment online casino win of around $34.7 million last month. DraftKings Sportsbook won $10.6 million on over $151.8 million in bets.
On the commercial online sportsbook side, FanDuel outperformed others, with $9.7 million in winnings from $213 million in bets. DraftKings secured second place, winning $4.5 million on $77.8 million in wagers.
Penn Entertainment’s ESPN Bet online sportsbook reported income of $6 million on $49.9 million in wagers, resulting in a net adjusted loss of $10 million after promotional bets.
In 11 months, Michigan oddsmakers have accepted $4 billion in sports bets online and kept $359.2 million of the wagers. Online casinos have collectively won more than $1.7 billion from computer and mobile device gambling.
Detroit Casinos Falter
Despite the online success, the three Detroit commercial casinos had a difficult month due to the workers’ strike. They collectively generated a modest $76 million in revenue from physical slots and table games.
November’s performance represented a nearly 24% drop from November 2022. MGM won $30.6 million (-34%), MotorCity won $24.7 million (-18%), and Greektown took home $20.7 million (-11%).
The casinos reached new collective bargaining terms on Nov. 17 to restore each property’s full operations, after which they resumed full activities. Union leaders had encouraged players to avoid commercial iGaming sites, but revenue reports showed consumers did not heed to those calls.