Ohio gallops, Missouri trots

Ohio gambling revenues were up 4% last month, coming in at $164.5 million. Most of that was driven by a particularly good month at the racinos. Hollywood Columbus‘ $19 million represented a 4% gain while Hollywood Toledo hauled in $17 million, a 3% gain. The Columbus casino is gaining on MGM Northfield, clinging to first place with $21 million, a 3% decline. MGM’s was one of only two revenue-negative performances in the Buckeye State. Jack Cincinnati slid 3.5% to $17 million. Jack Cleveland, finally living up to its market, gained 3% to $18 million. Nearby Jack Thistledown leapt 11% to $12 million. Hollywood Dayton vaulted 13% to $12 million and Hollywood Mahoning Valley gained 8% to $11 million.

Churchill Downs had a good month at joint-venture Miami Valley Gaming, jumping 11.5% to $15.5 million, while Boyd Gaming was up 4% at Belterra Park, notching $7.5 million. Eldorado Resorts had another of many good months at Scioto Downs, up 7.5% to $16 million. True, August had an extra weekend day this year but that’s hardly sufficient to account for all the gains displayed on the tote board.

By contrast, Missouri casinos really needed that extra weekend day, as they came in flat with 2018. The only bright spot was a 2.5% gain in table game revenues. Competing with itself in the St. Louis area, Penn National Gaming did better than one might expect. It was up 2% at River City ($19.5 million) and 4.5% at Hollywood Casino St. Louis ($21 million). By contrast, Eldorado got thumped at Lumiere Place (-8%, $13 million). Boyd collected $23 million at Ameristar St. Charles, down 2.5%.

It was a bad month for Boyd, what with a 7% decline at Ameristar Kansas City ($16.5 million). But Boyd still led the field in sheer gross, compared to Harrah’s North Kansas City ($15.5 million, +7%), Argosy Riverside ($14.5 million, +4%) and Isle of Capri Kansas City ($6 million, +2%). The only revenue-positive casinos outstate were Mark Twain, up 6.5% to $3 million and Lady Luck Caruthersville ($3 million, +3%). The biggest rural gross was Isle of Capri Boonville‘s $7 million, despite a 2% dip. As for the disparity between the two states, our best guess is that the Ohio racinos benefited from being in the heart of racing season while Missouri had to get by on bread-and-butter casino gamblers.