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One year can make a big difference.
In the case of Kansas’ four non-tribal casinos, that one-year difference can be counted in dollars: $3,590,033, to be exact. That’s how much casino revenue rose from May 2023 to May 2024, according to data from the Kansas Lottery, indicating solid growth in the Kansas casino industry over the past 12 months. Revenue was up compared to April, too.
Key takeaways
- Online casinos are not legal in Kansas but could’ve generated a projected $50.2 million in revenue this past month.
- May land-based, non-tribal casino revenue topped $36 million.
- Revenue was up more than 11% year-on-year.
Online casinos? Not in Kansas
Like all of its brethren west of the Mississippi, Kansas does not offer online casinos. That’s unfortunate, as PlayUSA predicts the state’s casinos could’ve earned more than $50 million in May:
| State | May online casino revenue | Population (according to 2023 Census Bureau data) | Per-capita revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $216.5 million | 13 million | $16.65 |
| Michigan | $198.6 million | 10 million | $19.86 |
| New Jersey | $192.1 million | 9.3 million | $20.65 |
| Connecticut | $46.3 million | 3.6 million | $12.86 |
| West Virginia | $17.9 million | 1.8 million | $9.94 |
| Delaware | $3.9 million | 1 million | $3.90 |
| Average | $112.6 million | 6.5 million | $17.32 |
| Kansas (projected) | $50.2 million | 2.9 million | $17.32 |
Hollywood Casino posts big yearly gains
Leading the revenue charge in May was Hollywood Casino, which saw its annual revenue rise nearly 16%. The casino brought in $14.49 million in May, up nearly $2 million over the previous year. Month-on-month, the casino enjoyed a nearly $800,000 increase in revenue.
| May 2024 | May 2023 | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Star Casino | $14,027,919 | $12,726,581 | 10.23% |
| Hollywood Casino | $14,489,461 | $12,493,134 | 15.98% |
| Boot Hill Casino | $4,060,928 | $3,881,138 | 4.63% |
| Kansas Crossing Casino | $3,547,572 | $3,434,994 | 3.28% |
| Total revenue | $36,125,880 | $32,535,847 | 11.03% |
Hollywood’s revenue gains accounted for more than half of the total win increase over Kansas’ April 2024 gaming revenue, while Kansas star pitched in a roughly $200,000 jump.
May’s totals were the second-highest over the past four months. In March, Kansas’ four casinos raked in $38.7 million, up more than $4 million over February thanks to the increased betting and traffic brought in by the March Madness men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments.
Additionally, all four casinos posted their second-best revenue totals going back to February, according to the Kansas Lottery’s May 2024 report.
| May 2024 | April 2024 | March 2024 | February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino | $14,489,461 | $13,689,348 | $15,239,444 | $13,394,979 |
| Kansas Star Casino | $14,027,919 | $13,844,575 | $15,306,516 | $13,796,248 |
| Boot Hill Casino | $4,060,928 | $3,958,418 | $4,401,503 | $3,897,646 |
| Kansas Crossing Casino | $3,547,572 | $3,437,037 | $3,721,726 | $3,209,852 |
| Total revenue | $36,125,880 | $34,929,378 | $38,669,189 | $34,298,726 |
Kansas governor leverages sports betting revenue to entice Chiefs, Royals
While online casinos aren’t legal in Kansas, online sportsbooks are, and Gov. Laura Kelly is ready to use taxes from online sports betting to bring the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to the Sunflower State. The governor recently signed a bill that would use sports betting tax revenue (among other income sources) to fund the construction of a new stadium for the Chiefs and Royals.
The offer comes as the two teams deal with the aftermath of Jackson County residents voting against a sales tax increase to fund a new stadium for the Royals and renovations for the Chiefs’ GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The pitch by the Kansas governor could inadvertently help Kansas online casinos become a reality. iGaming would create considerably more tax revenue than sports betting would. If the state is already leveraging its sports betting tax revenue to bring the Chiefs and Royals, imagine what it could do with a massive influx of revenue from Kansas online casinos.
