Casinos had a rough couple of years following the latest U.S. recession, but the numbers are turning up.
According to a new report from the American Gaming Association titled "State of the States: The 2012 AGA Survey of Casino Entertainment," casinos in the U.S. brought in a total of $35.64 billion of revenues in 2011 and "returned $7.93 billion of those revenues to states and localities in the form of direct gaming taxes — a 4.5 percent increase over 2010 totals."
13 out of the 22 states in which casinos are legal posted increases in tax revenues year over year.
Some of the increases were due to new casino openings – the report says that "in Maryland, the addition of a second casino and the first full year of operations at the first drove a 464.2 percent increase. New casinos in Kansas and New York led to increases of 38.0 percent and 17.9 percent, respectively."
Maryland, 464.2% tax revenue growth
Number of casinos: 2
Number of people employed: 290
Total tax revenue raised: $90 million
Tax revenue growth from a year ago: 464.2 percent
How the taxes are spent: Education trust fund, local impact grants, small, minority- and women-owned businesses
Legal since: 2008
Source: AGA
Kansas, 38.0% tax revenue growth
Number of casinos: 2
Number of people employed: N/A
Total tax revenue raised: $13 million
Tax revenue growth from a year ago: 38.0 percent
How the taxes are spent: State debt reduction, infrastructure improvements, property tax relief, problem gambling treatment
Legal since: 2007
Source: AGA
New York, 15.6% tax revenue growth
Number of casinos: 9
Number of people employed: 5,082
Total tax revenue raised: $593 million
Tax revenue growth from a year ago: 15.6 percent
How the taxes are spent: Education
Legal since: 2001
Source: AGA
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