Summertime is for roller coasters, and Detroit's casinos are definitely experiencing some highs and lows.
MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood Casino at Greektown together generated $107.0 million in July. Still, when looking at each casino, you'll notice slight decreases and a slight improvement from the last year:
- MGM Grand Detroit: $50.8 million, decreased by 0.9% from the previous year.
- MotorCity Casino: $31.6 million, an increase of 1.2%.
- Hollywood Casino at Greektown: $23.6 million, a decline of 0.9%.
Despite a mixed bag of results in July and what was considered to be an "off" month in June, the overall trend shows resilience in a competitive market. And let's not forget, 2024 was a record year for casinos in Michigan.
Table Games and Slot Machine Performance
Table games and slot machines have always been the lifeblood of casino revenue. This is where most of the money generated by Detroit's casinos came from.
Slots and table games like Blackjack and Poker generated $106.0 million.
This figure represents a slight 0.3% decline from July 2024 but shows a healthy 5.6% increase from June 2025. Year-to-date, the revenue was down 0.7% compared to the same period last year.
Overall, the casinos are holding steady in a tough market, and there's hope for more good news in the future for Detroit's gaming scene.
State and City Tax Contributions
The distribution of market share among the casinos paints an interesting picture:
- MGM Grand Detroit held the largest share at 48%.
- MotorCity Casino followed with 30%.
- Hollywood Casino at Greektown captured 22%.
This led to the casinos contributing significantly to both state and city finances. They paid $8.58 million in state gaming taxes in July, and contributed almost $13 million in wagering taxes and development agreement payments to the City of Detroit.
Though slightly lower than July 2024's $8.61 million, these payments underscore the casinos' importance to local and state economies.
Retail Sports Betting Gains
Retail sports betting is becoming a vital revenue stream for Detroit's casinos.
The combined retail sports betting handle was $5.7 million in July, generating $1.0 million in gross receipts. This reflects a substantial increase in qualified adjusted gross receipts compared to July 2024 and a 55.1% rise from June 2025.
Here's a look at the sports betting earnings by casino:
- MGM Grand Detroit**: $190,153
- MotorCity Casino**: $468,725
- Hollywood Casino at Greektown**: $373,025
The casinos paid $39,006 in state taxes and $47,674 in wagering taxes to the City of Detroit from this segment.
Fantasy Contests Also Contribute to the Performance
Although overshadowed by their brick-and-mortar counterparts, fantasy contests also contributed.
Operators reported $566,999 in adjusted revenues for June 2025 and paid $47,628 in taxes. This niche area continues to provide additional streams of revenue, complementing traditional casino offerings.
Play Online Casino Games in Michigan
In addition to physical casinos, playing online casino games in Michigan is becoming increasingly popular, providing yet another source of revenue and entertainment for residents.
Several online casinos operate legally in the Wolverine State and offer various incentives like bonus codes to attract new players and retain existing ones. Here are a few popular online casinos in Michigan:
- Hollywood Casino: The newest option for online gaming in Michigan is the Hollywood Casino app, which launched earlier this year. The app provides a seamless gaming experience by allowing you to log in with your ESPN BET credentials.
- BetMGM Casino: Often offers new players a welcome bonus, which typically includes a deposit match and free spins. Existing players might receive bonus codes for reload bonuses or special promotions, and they added former baseball great Derek Jeter to their lineup.
- DraftKings Casino: Known for a variety of promotions, such as a deposit match bonus for new members. They also frequently have ongoing offers or special events where existing players can use bonus codes, and sometimes build massive jackpots.
- Golden Nugget Online Casino: Offers new players bonuses, such as free play or deposit matches. They frequently have promotions for current players that require bonus codes to activate.
- Caesars Casino: Provides generous welcome bonuses for new signups, often with a deposit match or free credits. Existing customers might get bonus codes for exclusive offers or loyalty programs.
These casinos typically provide information about their available bonuses on their websites, and the specific details can change frequently.
Players can find bonus codes directly on the casino’s promotions page or through email newsletters if they’re subscribed. It's always a good idea to read the terms and conditions associated with these bonuses to understand the wagering requirements and any restrictions.
Just remember that responsible gambling is crucial to ensuring that gaming remains an enjoyable and safe form of entertainment. It involves setting limits, recognizing warning signs of problem gambling, and seeking help if necessary, thereby safeguarding both financial well-being and mental health.
Please play responsibly.
