Table-game revenue decline pushed Massachusetts casino revenue down 1.3% in January

January brought Massachusetts casinos $96.7 million in total revenue. Compared with the same month last year, the figure fell by 1.3%. The main reason for the decline was a broad-based drop in table-game revenue, which affected most of the state’s properties.

The statistics were released by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the state’s gaming regulator. The data cover all three licensed casinos and make it possible to assess both the overall picture and the situation at each property separately.

Statewide revenue breakdown

Across Massachusetts, revenue from the two key gambling categories moved in opposite directions. A closer look shows:

• Slots brought in $69.8 million, up 5.4% year over year.
• Table games (poker, blackjack, roulette, and others) generated only $26.8 million, down a steep 15.4%.

Positive momentum in slots failed to offset the deep drop in table games, and the overall total ended lower.

These figures, of course, refer specifically to traditional casino gaming rather than its online format. After all, according to the data, the iGaming sector is growing across most game categories—slots, table games, and arcade-style titles. Moreover, thanks to the success of such hits as Ice Fishing game or Monopoly Live, the live-dealer casino segment is also growing.

Encore Boston Harbor posted the highest revenue, but lost ground in table games

The state’s flagship casino, Encore Boston Harbor, once again led in absolute revenue, but it was unable to match last year’s level. The property posted $59.7 million in total revenue, down 2.9% from January a year earlier.

Within that total, performance diverged by segment. Slots rose 9.7% to $37.6 million. Table games, by contrast, fell 18.8% to $22 million. Encore, with its large table-games floor, contributed the most to the statewide decline in this metric.

MGM Springfield held steady

Against the backdrop of its neighbors, MGM Springfield stood out as the most stable performer. Its January revenue totaled $22.8 million, essentially unchanged year over year.

However, beneath the headline stability, the segments moved in different directions. Slots slipped slightly, down 1% to $18 million. Table games, meanwhile, rose 5% to $4.8 million. This is the only property in the state where table games posted a gain.

Plainridge Park keeps growing—without any table games

The third market participant, Plainridge Park, operates as a slots-only casino and does not have a table-games area. In January, the casino reported revenue of $14.2 million, up 3.2% from last year’s level.

For a property that competes with two full-scale casinos, that’s a solid performance. The absence of table games, ironically, insulated Plainridge Park from the factor that dragged down competitors’ results this month.

Slots are up, but it isn’t enough

Massachusetts’ January statistics clearly show a situation in which one segment cannot offset another’s slump. The combined 5.4% increase in slot-machine revenue was not enough to close the 15.4% gap that opened up in table games. As a result, the statewide total slipped into negative territory, albeit slightly.

The commission’s report does not specify the reasons for such a noticeable decline in interest in table games. Among the possible explanations, market analysts cite seasonal swings in visitation and a shift in player activity toward slots and online formats.