Missouri casinos see 14% surge in February revenue

Missouri's casino industry experienced a notable uptick in February, with total adjusted gross revenue (AGR) reaching $156.9 million, marking a 14% increase from January's $135.4 million, according to the latest report from the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC). This figure closely mirrored the AGR reported in February 2023, which stood at $156.7 million.

Leading the pack was Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles with $23.9 million, followed closely by Hollywood Casino & Hotel St. Louis with $20.6 million, and River City Casino Hotel with $20.3 million in AGR. Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City and Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa also contributed significantly, generating $16.8 million and $13.6 million, respectively.

Harrah’s Kansas City, Horseshoe St. Louis, and Bally’s Casino Kansas City, posted $13.6 million, $12.3 million and $11.2 million, respectively. Smaller establishments like Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Boonville, Century Casino Cape Girardeau, Century Casino Caruthersville, Jo Frontier Casino, and Mark Twain Casino reported comparatively lower AGRs ranging from $7.0 million to $3.1 million.

The gaming tax collected from all licensed casinos for February saw a 13% increase compared to the previous month, totaling $32.9 million. Notable contributors to this figure included Ameristar Casino Resort ($5 million), Hollywood Casino ($4.3 million), and River City Casino ($4.2 million).

In February, slot play saw an increase of about 10%, reaching $1.3 billion, up from the preceding month’s slot handle of $1.2 billion. Meanwhile, table gameplay saw a drop of $104.2 million, although casinos still managed to win $21.3 million of that money.

In other developments, efforts to legalize sports betting in Missouri continue advancing, with a coalition representing the state's professional sports teams spearheading a campaign to place the issue on this year's ballot. The initiative, which seeks to allow Missouri's casinos and professional sports teams to offer both retail and online sports betting, has collected more than half of the signatures needed to place an initiative on this year’s ballot.

Concurrently, a Missouri sports betting bill championed by Rep. Dan Houx (R-Warrensburg) is still in deliberation. The proposed bill seeks to authorize the 13 riverboat casinos to accept sports bets and to enable online sportsbook operators to facilitate wagering for users residing in Missouri.