Detroit’s three commercial casinos reported a combined revenue of $104.8 million in January, marking a stronger start to the year compared to the same period in 2024. The latest figures, released by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, show an 11.6% increase from January 2024, when revenue stood at $93.9 million.
The positive momentum follows a strong finish to 2024, with December revenue reaching $109.3 million, the highest monthly total of the year. Last year began with concerns over a slow start, but revenue growth throughout the latter months helped stabilize the industry.
Industry analysts note that January is historically a slower month for Detroit casinos due to seasonal factors such as winter weather and post-holiday financial constraints for consumers. Despite this, the industry managed to surpass the $100 million mark in monthly revenue, a threshold it remained above for the entirety of 2024 following a low point last January.
Although January revenue showed strong year-over-year growth, it represented a 6.4% decline from December’s total. Each of the three Detroit casinos experienced a month-over-month dip.
MGM Grand Detroit led all properties with $49.9 million in revenue, though this was a 2.5% decline from December’s $51.2 million. MotorCity Casino followed with $30.6 million, down 7.3% from the previous month’s $33 million. Hollywood Casino at Greektown posted $21.8 million in revenue, representing the sharpest decline at 13.1% compared to December’s $25.1 million.
Despite the monthly downturn, both MGM Grand Detroit and MotorCity Casino recorded notable year-over-year increases. MGM Grand saw an 11.9% jump from January 2024, while MotorCity Casino posted a 12.9% gain. Hollywood Casino at Greektown, however, was the only property to record a slight year-over-year decline, dropping 1.8%.
February and March have traditionally seen increases in Detroit’s casino revenue, with February 2024 climbing 11.6% from January, followed by a 16.7% jump in March. If similar growth patterns hold, February’s revenue could reach $117 million, with March potentially climbing as high as $136.5 million, a level not seen since March 2019.
The start of the year brings high sports betting activity, driven by the conclusion of college football, NFL playoffs, and a full slate of NBA and college basketball action. MotorCity Casino continued its dominance in the retail sports betting sector, handling $9.1 million in wagers, ahead of MGM Grand Detroit’s $5.4 million and Hollywood Casino at Greektown’s $4.9 million. MotorCity also led in revenue generation from sports betting, bringing in $1.2 million for the month.