Mid-west US states are experiencing a healthy rise in profits
Tuesday 23rd November 2004
Casino profits in mid-west USA have risen again after a drop immediately after the summer months. Gamblers poured $101.9 million into the combined coffers of Northwest Indiana's five riverboat casinos in October, outpacing August and September but not coming close to July's record of $112 million in revenues.
The area is experiencing a steady increase, with Indiana's share of the gambling market growing by four percent, while neighboring Illinois has seen its share swelling by 13 percent, despite the end of a state-imposed tax scale, set to expire in June, which has proved unfavourable to the gambling industry.
'It's nice to see the Northwest able to continue to grow,' Horseshoe Casino manager Rick Mazer said. Although revenue dipped at the Horseshoe to $30.5 million in October from $32.8 million in September, Mazer insists this was to the benefit of gamblers.
'We have been very generous to our customers,' Mazer said. 'Our whole percentage is down, but our volume indicators are in good shape.'
