Detroit’s three casinos posted their second-largest monthly gaming revenue total for 2023 in December, proving they have recovered from the workers’ strike that began October 17 and lasted 34 days at MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown and 47 days at MGM Grand Detroit.
The three casinos reported a combined $111.4 million in revenue from slots and table games, a 46.6 percent increase from November, which was significantly affected by the strike, and a 2.9 percent increase over $108.3 million for December 2022.
Altogether, the Detroit casinos recorded $1.22 billion in revenue from slots and table games in 2023, a 2.7 percent drop from $1.26 billion in 2022. Analysts said without the strike, the three casinos’ combined slots and table games revenue most likely would have surpassed the 2022 total.
For December, MGM Grand Detroit posted $50.6 million in gaming revenue, second to $54.4 million in March. MotorCity Casino reported $34.7 million in revenue, also second to March with $35.8 million. Hollywood Casino at Greektown listed gaming revenue of $26.1 million, also second to $27.6 million in March.
The three venues also reported a combined handle of $30.4 million for December, the highest since January 2022 with $35.9 million. In addition, the casinos made $4.8 million in sports betting revenue in December, the most since posting $7.6 million in October 2020 and an 88.8 percent increase in handle compared to December 2022 at $16.1 million.
Posting their highest handle total of 2023 in December were MotorCity Casino with $16.8 million and Hollywood Casino at Greektown with $10 million. MGM Grand Detroit’s $3.6 million was its eighth-highest total of the year. With handle of $65 million for the year, MotorCity Casino was the only one to surpass its 2022 total at $52.9 million. Taken together, the three casinos’ retail sports betting handle of $181.7 million declined 31.1 percent from $263.7 million in 2022.
