The results are in. In the annual Strictly Slots Best of Slots awards for 2023, Live! Casino Hotel Maryland took home the highest honor awarded: the Players Choice Award for Maryland.
Rocky Gap Casino Resort was right on the heels of Live! in most categories. There was also space for MGM National Harbor and Horseshoe Baltimore to get some shine.
At the end of the day, those four Maryland casinos were recognized in the Best of Slots awards.
Live! Casino Hotel leads Maryland in Best of Slots awards
There are six casinos in the state. They collected $157.7 million in revenue in November.
The Strictly Slots Best of Slots awards for 2023 recognized Maryland casinos in 24 categories. Awards were given to the top three casinos in each category.
Live! Casino Hotel, in addition to its Players Choice Award, led the state in total podiums. The casino in Hanover finished in the top three in all 24 categories. It collected 11 first-place finishes.
- Best Overall Casino
- Best Progressive Slots
- Best Video Poker
- Best Penny Slots
- Best Quarter Slots
- Best Dollar Slots
- Best Variety of Slots
- Best High-End Slot Area
- Best Slot Club
- Best Slot Club Promotions
- Best Customer Service
Rocky Gap takes home the second-most awards
Rocky Gap Casino Resort came in second for Maryland casinos in the Strictly Slots Best of Slots awards for 2023. The casino was a top-three finisher in 20 of the 24 categories. It took home the top prize in 10 categories.
- Best Reel Slots
- Best Video Slots
- Casino Where you Feel Luckiest
- Best Nickel Slots
- Best 50-Cent Slots
- Best Comps
- Best Players Club Lounge
- Best Hosts
- Friendliest Casino
- Best Non-Smoking Casino/Area
Strictly Slots Best of Slots awards only consider slot machines and video poker. Table games are not taken into account.
Two other Maryland casinos received awards in the annual contest.
MGM National Harbor took home the bronze medal for Maryland casinos after it was awarded 20 top-three finishes. It took first in three categories:
- Best $5 Slots
- Best VIP Service
- Best Casino Cocktail Service
Horseshoe Baltimore was the only other Maryland casino to receive awards. The casino made six podiums. Three of those were second-place finishes.
- Best Nickel Slots
- Best Dollar Slots
- Best Variety Of Slots
Rocky Gap punches above its weight
In November, Rocky Gap Casino Resort accumulated $4.6 million of revenue, which was last compared to all casinos in the state. The revenue was just 2.9% of the state total.
Despite low numbers, Rocky Gap joined the other five Maryland casinos to collect $66 million in tax dollars for the state in November. That has some legislators in Maryland wondering how high tax money from gaming could climb if Maryland online casinos were legal.
Maryland state Sen. Ron Watson told PlayUSA he is confident an iGaming bill will pass in 2024.
“I’m very confident that we’ll have something that we can pass by next year. We have plenty of time to work it out. In some cases like this, we may form a summer study group to hammer out the details, but I’m pretty sure we’ll have something next year ready to roll.”
That vote of confidence by Watson was mirrored by Rush Street Interactive CEO Richard Schwartz. During the company’s Q3 earnings call, Schwartz said he also feels online gaming could be a third pillar in the Maryland gambling market.
“Notably, a prominent legislative member in the state has expressed optimism about the potential for passage of an iGaming bill when the Legislature reconvenes in January. In his remarks, the legislator emphasized the state’s need for new revenue streams and recognized the significance that online casinos could represent as a valuable third leg of the stool, along with existing online sports betting and traditional land-based casino markets.”