Detroit casinos on the decline, but will Summer cause an uptick?
Are Michigan online casinos taking over? The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) have released their land-based casino and sports betting revenue report for Detroit in June 2025, with all three land-based operators generating $101m cumulatively.
This marks a 4.2% dip compared to June 2024 – but signifies consistency across MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown brands.
However, notable decreases were noted in the sports betting industry, as year-on-year (YoY) retail handle fell by over 25%.
Here, we evaluate the most pertinent figures tied to Michigan’s Detroit casinos’ latest revenue report – including operator comparisons, year-to-date analysis and the region’s future outlook.
Total performance report: Land-based casino revenue continues to fall
Detroit’s major casino operators generated $100.4m in June 2025 – solely through casino revenue – which marks a near 11% drop against the previous month’s report.
This extends a worrying trend among the city’s most prominent retail betting firms, as Detroit has accrued over $110m from table and slots games just twice in 2025.
Moreover, June represented Detroit’s worst casino-facing performance in 2025 since February’s $98m.
While these results may suggest a struggling market, Detroit remains a viable home for its triple-header of retail casino establishments. Reporting from 2024 outlined that $110m or more had been accrued only three times – peaking at $122m in March of that year.
Thus, this year’s statistics point to a similar trajectory.
MGM Grand Detroit remains the market leader
Detroit is home to the Hollywood Casino at Greektown, MotorCity Casino and MGM Grand Detroit – with fierce competition for consumers fought between all three operators.
The MGM Grand Detroit has consistently come out on top in this ongoing battle for revenue, proven by the fact that the casino has never been beaten when it comes to total receipts taken in any of the last two fiscal years.
June 2025 was no different for the city’s leading casino, as outlined below.
MGM Grand Detroit
In June, the MGM Grand Detroit took $48.4m from table games and slots wagers – a 0.6% YoY decrease.
As expected from the city’s largest retail betting entity, MGM’s year-to-date decline was far more tolerable than either of its main competitors.
But that does not detract from valid concerns related to cashflow – as the casino’s monthly revenue stooped below $50m for the first time since February, despite possessing 48% of the market share in June.
Most striking is the 8.9% drop-off from the previous month. While the MGM Grand Detroit reported its most impressive earnings for the year in May 2025 – at $53.14m – June constituted the most significant slump in revenue since March-April 2024.
Yet, in a decidedly unsatisfactory month for gaming revenue for all operators, the MGM Grand suffered least.
MotorCity Casino
Located on Grand River Avenue, MotorCity Casino is Detroit’s second most profitable retail gambling venue.
A 2.7% YoY deterioration saw MotorCity accrue $30.6m in June 2025 – but it is the month-to-month outlook that purveys a damning downturn of 9.7%.
In May, MotorCity Casino took $33.9m in revenue. Similar figures were reported during April ($33.1m) and March ($35.9m).
As such, the casino’s performance in June was its least productive since the end of winter.
Nevertheless, MotorCity continues to sit 7% clear of February’s disastrous revenue report ($28.4m).
Hollywood Casino at Greektown
June was a disappointing month for the Hollywood Casino at Greektown, as expressed in the MGCB’s latest report.
The operator endured a 12.7% YoY revenue shortfall – dropping from $24.4m in June 2024 to $21.3m in June 2025.
These figures also mean that June’s performance was the casino’s worst month in 2025.
Given the brand’s consistent returns since the beginning of 2024 – during which time revenue only fell below $22m in January – such a collapse is particularly noteworthy.
This is exacerbated by positive yield in May 2025 ($25.7m), as month-on-month revenue declined by 17.1%.
Compared to the operator’s best period, March 2025 ($27.1m), the Hollywood Casino at Greektown observed a 21.3% revenue reduction.
Michigan’s review also details that the organization held just 21% of the city’s total market share.
Operator tax contributions dwindle
All revenue taken by Detroit casinos is subject to a mandatory 18% duty, divided between an 8.1% State Wagering Tax and a 9.9% City of Detroit Wagering Tax.
In total, this tax obligation culminated in $8.1m being paid to the state by Detroit’s three land-based betting venues, a YoY drop of 4.7% and a month-to-month fall of 10.95%.
The City of Detroit earned $11.9m in tax contributions, with all funds dedicated to planning and development within the region. As was the case with state payments, year-to-date city-focused taxes waned in June YoY – by 4.3% and they also decreased 11.2% MoM.
Retail sports betting revenue spirals
Detroit’s sports betting industry faces a battle to recover lost revenue, as YoY gross takings crumbled by 25.1% in June 2025 to $665,434.
Things appear even bleaker when weighing up June’s results against May of this year, as the Michigan Gaming Control Board noted a 48.3% plummet in month-to-month revenue.
Overall, operators took a gross revenue of $665,434 from sports wagers. Although poor, this remains 99.3% above April’s figures – proving the erratic nature of Detroit’s sports betting market.
Sports betting handle also experienced a dour month, as the MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown reported $7.2m in wagers placed by customers.
Specifically, that is a 62.7% tumble when contrasted with the year’s most prolific four-week period (January – $19.4m).
Even February, previously the weakest month for sports handle in 2025, sits 12.3% ahead of June – proving that June must be a rocky area for sports betting in this region.
Will Detroit’s retail gambling revenue improve in 2025?
June may have presented limited results for Detroit’s retail casinos – but there is hope that this is a reversible situation.
In each of 2022, 2023 and 2024, the city reported disappointing casino revenue figures for June relative to prior months.
Throughout these three years, July and August enjoyed an uptick in industry-wide metrics after a middling June – suggesting that 2025 could return to form soon.
Therefore, the next two months will be crucial for the MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown.
