“It was a great year all around, and we couldn’t be prouder of the contribution that the Lottery and the casinos made to important state programs,” said Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica. “It’s especially gratifying to see both the Lottery and the casinos growing simultaneously.”
For immediate release
August 8, 2018
Contact:
Carole Bober Gentry
410-230-8725 (office)
410-365-6384 (cell)
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Maryland Lottery and Casinos Break All-Time Records in Fiscal Year 2018
Record-setting total of $1.252 billion contributed to the state
ALTIMORE – Maryland Lottery and Gaming today announced numerous record-breaking figures for Fiscal Year 2018. Traditional lottery ticket sales and the state’s six casinos combined to contribute a record $1.252 billion to support Maryland’s good causes, including education, public health and safety, the environment, veterans’ organizations, the state’s horse racing industry and more.
It was a historic year for the Maryland Lottery, which surpassed $2 billion in sales for the first time and set a new profit record of $575.6 million. New all-time marks also were established for prizes to players, retailer commissions and instant ticket (scratch-off) sales.
FY2018 marked the first time that all six of the state’s casinos were operating for a full fiscal year. Casino gaming revenue contributed $676.7 million to the state, including $496.7 million to the Maryland Education Trust Fund.
The combined total of $1.252 billion in state contributions is a 12.1% increase from the previous record of $1.117 billion in Fiscal Year 2017. Meanwhile, the Agency’s operating expenses remained low at 3.3% of sales on the Lottery side, and 1% of total gaming revenues for the casino program.
The Lottery’s sales for FY2018 (July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018) were $2.043 billion, beating the previous mark of $1.935 billion in FY2017 by 5.8%. The state’s casinos also set a new record of $1.679 billion for gaming revenue.
“It was a great year all around, and we couldn’t be prouder of the contribution that the Lottery and the casinos made to important state programs,” said Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica. “It’s especially gratifying to see both the Lottery and the casinos growing simultaneously.”
Lottery
The Lottery’s $2.043 billion in sales fueled an all-time record of $1.247 billion in prizes paid to players, a 4.2% increase from the previous record of $1.197 billion in FY2017. The Lottery paid an average of more than $3.4 million a day in prizes to players during FY2018.
Retailers earned an all-time high of $153.7 million from sales commissions, a 5.4% increase from the previous record of $145.9 million set in FY2017. The average commission paid to the Lottery’s nearly 4,500 retailers was more than $34,000.
For the fourth consecutive year, sales of instant tickets set an all-time record, totaling $750.9 million, an 11.0% increase from the previous high of $676.8 million set in FY2017. Instant ticket sales have increased at double-digit rates for four consecutive years.
The Lottery’s most popular game, Pick 4, set an all-time sales record of $296.2 million. Racetrax, a computer-animated horse racing simulation game, also set an all-time sales record of $192.6 million.
Casino Gaming
The FY2018 gross gaming revenue total of $1.679 billion beat last year’s figure by $258.0 million (18.2%). The $496.7 million contribution to the Education Trust Fund (ETF) was an increase of $45.5 million (10.1%) from FY2017. The ETF supports early childhood education, public elementary and secondary education, public school construction and capital improvement projects. Since the state’s first casino opened in 2010, more than $2.4 billion has gone to the ETF.
“Congratulations to Maryland Lottery and Gaming for an excellent year,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “The contribution of nearly half a billion dollars to the Education Trust Fund is a tremendous benefit to our state and our schools. We must take action to ensure that these funds supplement and not supplant educational funding, and I urge Maryland voters to support the referendum on the ballot this year to truly create an education lockbox.”
FY2018 casino revenue was also distributed to the following beneficiaries:
More than 7,700 people work at the state’s six casinos, including more than 6,200 full-time employees.
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Since its inception in 1973, Maryland Lottery and Gaming has contributed more than $16 billion to the State of Maryland and paid more than $25.6 billion in prizes to players. The casino program, which began in September 2010, has generated more than $7 billion in revenue. Details by Lottery game and by casino are available on the attached FY2018 review.
To keep Marylanders informed and maintain integrity and transparency in its regulation of the state’s casinos, Maryland Lottery and Gaming posts monthly financial reports on casino revenue on its website, gaming.mdlottery.com. For more information on all Lottery products, promotions and news, go to mdlottery.com.
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Carole Bober Gentry
(Formerly Carole Everett)
Managing Director of Communications
Maryland Lottery and Gaming
1800 Washington Blvd., Suite 330
Baltimore, MD 21230
410-230-8725
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Maryland Lottery and Gaming contributed a record $1.252 billion to the State of Maryland in FY2018. Please play responsibly.
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