Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency Director Stephen Martino today signed the operations license allowing Rocky Gap Casino Resort to open in Western Maryland. The casino, owned by Evitts Resort, LLC, offers 558 slot machines and 10 table games.

As required by law, Rocky Gap Casino Resort conducted a controlled demonstration on Monday, May 20. The demonstration, which was open to the public, tested and assessed the facility’s slot machines and table games, internal controls, employee training, surveillance and security, and technical systems. The casino’s share of proceeds from the demonstration will go to a local charity, Volunteer Team Inc., Friends of Rocky Gap State Park.

“After a thorough review of the casino, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency is satisfied that the Rocky Gap facility is properly prepared to open to the public,” said Martino.

Located off exit 50 on Interstate 68 in Flintstone, the resort offers slot machines, table games, indoor and outdoor recreational activities, overnight accommodations and food and beverage services. The resort is the third Maryland casino to offer table games and currently employs 500 staff members. Maryland Live Casino began offering table games last month. Hollywood Casino Perryville began offering the games in March.

The general manager of the Rocky Gap Casino Resort told me Friday the casino’s core market will be folks living within a 90-minute drive of the casino’s Allegany County location. I spoke with Scott Just the day before Rocky Gap held an open house to show off its 558 slot machines and 10 table games.

The casino is expected to open as early as May 22, pending the successful test of its systems on May 20 by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.

The 90-minute radius Just is targeting include not only gamblers from Maryland but those as far away as Morgantown, W.Va., Altoona, Pa., and Winchester, W. Va. The closest casino to Rocky Gap currently is in Charles Town, W. Va., which is about 90 minutes from Rocky Gap.

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Three companies have put in bids to build a Prince George’s County casino, leading to a high-stakes competition to operate what could be one of the most lucrative gambling venues on the East Coast.

On Friday, the deadline for bids, Penn National Gaming proposed a $700 million Hollywood Casino Resort at Rosecroft Raceway, and the owner of a Pennsylvania casino proposed an $800 million Parx Casino Hotel & Spa nearby in Fort Washington.

The two bids will compete with a plan by MGM Resorts to operate Maryland’s sixth casino at National Harbor, the 300-acre mini-city on the Potomac River. The proposal to build that $800 million facility was submitted to the state Thursday.

A Maryland panel is expected to take several months to weigh the proposals and aims to choose one by the end of the year. The new casino could open by 2016.

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The MBE goal includes sub-goals of 7 percent for African-American participation and 4 percent for Asian-American participation for the construction phase of the Horseshoe Baltimore Casino project. The Goal Setting Group consulted with the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs, other state agencies and the City of Baltimore to establish the recommended MBE goal and sub-goals for this phase of the project.

Horseshoe Baltimore Casino MBE Construction Goal and Subgoals

MBE Goal Setting Program (FAQs)

Summary of Minority Business Enterprise Goal Setting Process for Maryland Video Lottery Terminal Facilities

The Maryland Lottery requires that companies seeking to do any non-gaming business with a Maryland casino be registered or certified dependent on the amount of business within a 12-month period. To learn more, click here.  To see a complete list of vendors, please click here.

• ABC Equipment Rental, Inc.
  • Rental company

• A. D. Naylor & Company, Inc.
  • Hardware, seasonal and maintenance supplies

• Bob Bell Ford
  • Automotive sales and service

• Capitol Cleaners ABC Equipment Rental, Inc.
  • Linen rental and service

• CIS Technology, Inc.
  • Casino software developer

• Crystal Steel Fabricators, Inc.
  • Fabricated steel

• Edmunds Direct Mail, Inc.
  • Printing and direct mail services

• Eminence Organic Skin Care Inc.
  • Professional retail skin care products

• Great Sunrise Marketing, Inc.
  • Giftware and specialty items

• Health Communications, Inc.
  • Training seminars and material

• Mary Kraft & Associates, Inc.
  • HR recruiting and staffing agency

• Onity, Inc.
  • Electronic locks and safes

• Plexus Group
  • Electrical services

• RD Pools and Spas, LLC
  • Repair, service, parts and chemicals for pools and spas

• Staples The Office Superstore East, Inc.
  • Office supplies

• SteelFab  of Virginia, Inc.
  • Structural steel fabricator

• West Virginia Radio Corporation of the Alleghenies
  • Radio advertising

• Willison Oil, Inc.
  • Tank and equipment rental, gasoline, off-road diesel fuel and lubricants

Newly Approved Games:

Ainsworth:

• Snake is a 5-reel, 20, 25, or 30-line video reel game which contains scatter pays and bonus features.
• A560 is a 5-reel, 40, 50 or 100-line video reel game that contains scatter pays and a bonus feature.
• Moon Money is a 5-reel, 40 or 50-line video reel game which contains scatter pays and bonus features.
• Big Thunder is a 5-reel, 40 or 50-line video reel game that contains scatter pays and a bonus feature.
• Star Fire Quad Shot is a 5-reel, 40, 50-line video reel game which contains scatter pays and bonus features.
• Safari Spirit is a 5-reel, 40, 50 or 100-line video reel game that contains scatter pays and a bonus feature.
• Action Cash is a 5-reel, 40, 50 or 100-line video game that contains scatter pays and a bonus feature.

Bally:

• Dolphin’s Tale is a 5-reel, 5, 9, 15, 20 or 25-line video reel game with a ‘Free Spin Bonus’ feature.

IGT:

• Woolly Mammoth is a 5-reel, 40-line “AVP” Reel depth game with free spins and a “Mammoth Multiplier” feature.
• 7 Leagues Under The Sea is a 5-reel, 70-line video reel game with scatter pays and free games bonus feature.

Konami:

• Panda Power is a 5-reel, 10, 20, 25, 30 or 40-line video reel game with scatter pays and a bonus feature.
• Band of Gypsies is a 5-reel, 100-line video reel game that offers scatter pays and a bonus feature.

Voluntary Exclusion Program:

The Maryland Lottery operates a voluntary exclusion program for individuals who wish to ban themselves from Maryland casinos.  If an individual opts for voluntary exclusion, they will be voluntarily excluded from entering any Maryland casino, as well as cashing checks and using credit cards. The individual will also be taken off of all casino mailing lists. To learn more about Maryland’s Voluntary Exclusion Program please click here.

As of May 7, 2013 the Maryland Voluntary Exclusion Program has 219 participants.

Hollywood Casino Perryville generated $8,438,708.44 from both slot machines and table games in April.  Gross gaming revenue per unit per day was:  $201.39 for slot machines, $3,363.68 for banking table games and $1,468.05 for non-banking table games.  In a year-to-year comparison, Hollywood Casino’s April 2013 revenue decreased by $3,829,442.68 or 35.77% from April 2012.  Hollywood Casino Perryville operates 1,138 machines and 20 (12 banking and eight non-banking) table games.  The facility debuted its table games on March 6, 2013.

The Casino at Ocean Downs generated $3,968,692.75 in April, and its gross gaming revenue per machine per day was $165.36. The Casino at Ocean Downs’ April 2013 revenue increased by $136,789.10 or 3.57% from April 2012.  The Casino at Ocean Downs operates 800 machines.

Maryland Live Casino generated $46,569,002.77 from both slot machines and table games in April.  Gross gaming revenue per unit per day was:  $301.68 for slot machines and $2,994.96 for banking table games.  Maryland Live Casino operates 4,217 machines and 122 banking table games.  The facility debuted its table games on April 11, 2013.

In a year-to-year comparison — excluding Maryland Live, which opened in June 2012 — April 2013 casino revenue decreased from April 2012 by $3,692,653.58 or 25.4%.  The addition of Maryland Live, however, brought a year-to-year net benefit to the state of $44,439,608.19.

VLT Gaming Revenue – Total

Table Games Revenue – Total

VLT Gaming Revenue – Hollywood Casino Perryville

Table Games Revenue – Hollywood Casino Perryville

VLT Gaming Revenue – Casino at Ocean Downs

VLT Gaming Revenue – Maryland LIVE

Table Games Revenue – Marylandn LIVE

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission is responsible for all matters relating to regulation of the state’s casinos.  In this regulatory role, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (LGCA) oversees all internal controls, auditing, security, surveillance, background investigation, licensing and accounting procedures for the facilities.

*Due to floor reconfigurations, the gross gaming revenue is an estimate based on the number of machines in operation on the last day of the month.

Maryland’s Video Lottery Facility Location Commission released a 110-page request for proposals (RFP) on Feb. 6 for construction and operation of a high-end Las Vegas-style casino.

Proposals are due to the commission by May 10, with a pre-proposal conference for potential bidders scheduled for Feb. 27.

The RFP was distributed to 200 individuals, organizations and businesses. However, a Maryland Lottery official said that list includes construction companies, lobbyists, anyone who expressed “any sort of interest” in the project.

An official with MGM Resorts International, which last year joined forces with National Harbor developer The Peterson Companies to develop a destination resort casino at National Harbor, said they have been doing their homework for months.

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The Maryland Lottery requires that companies seeking to do any non-gaming business with a Maryland casino be registered or certified dependent on the amount of business within a 12-month period. To learn more, click here.  To see a complete list of vendors, please click here.

• ACT Personnel Service, Inc.
  • Personnel services

• ASAR Protective Agency, Inc.

• Security services

• Automated Card Systems, Inc.

• Photo ID and visitor management software and hardware and related products and services

• Landis Office Center, Inc.
  • Office supplies, machines and furniture

• Reldom Corporation
  • Replacement wheels, drawer slides and maintenance

• Travel Click, Inc.
  • reservation, media and web services

Newly Approved Games:

Ainsworth:

• Dream Dragons is a 5-reel, 40, 50, or 100-line video reel game which contains scatter pays and a bonus feature.

Aristocrat:

• Wonder 4 Special Edition is a multigame personality that allows a player to play up to four different titles at one time on the same screen.

Bally:

• Arctic Aces is a 5-reel 9, 20, 30, 40 or 50-line video reel game.
• Scarlett’s Saloon is a 5-reel, 40-line video reel game with bonus features.

IGT:

• Hot Roll Cherries on Top is a 3-reel, 20-line spinning reel game.

Konami:

• Diamond Spinner is a 5-reel, 25-line spinning reel game with scatter pays and bonus features.

Williams:

• Emperor and Pharaoh is a 6-reel video reel game displayed with 4 rows and is available in 60-line and 80-line configurations.
• Wicked Dragon is a 6-reel video reel game displayed with 4 rows and is available in 60-line and 80-line configurations.

Voluntary Exclusion Program:

The Maryland Lottery operates a voluntary exclusion program for individuals who wish to ban themselves from Maryland casinos.  If an individual opts for voluntary exclusion, they will be voluntarily excluded from entering any Maryland casino, as well as cashing checks and using credit cards. The individual will also be taken off of all casino mailing lists. To learn more about Maryland’s Voluntary Exclusion Program please click here.

As of April 22, 2013 the Maryland Voluntary Exclusion Program has 214 participants.

• Accuity, Inc.
  • Data solutions

• Allsafe Elevator Inspections, Inc.
  • Elevator inspections

• Bottling Group, LLC
  • Manufacture, distribute and sell carbonated, non-alcoholic and ready to drink beverages and related equipment

• Ceasar Investigations & Security Services, LLC
  • Security and investigative services

• Fireline Corporation, Inc.
  • Fire alarm systems

• GEC Computer Systems, LLC
  • Casino scheduling software

• Golf Cart Services, Inc.
  • Golf cart rentals, sales and service

• Ideal Electrical Supply Corporation
  • Electrical supplies

• J. C. Ehrlich Co., Inc.
  • Interior/exterior pest control services

• Marketing Results, Inc.
  • Marketing services

• Panache Cuisine, LLC
  • Food manufacturer

• Potts & Callahan, Inc.
  • Contractor specializing in bulk excavation, grading, paving, site utility, demolition and rental equipment

• Safari Jewelry of USA, Inc.
  • Jewelry

• Segnation, LLC
  • Security services

• SmarTV Services, Inc.
  • Furnish and install DirecTV satellite systems

• TMI Striping
  • Parking lot painting, layout work and garage wall painting

Newly Approved Games:

Bally:

• Quick Hits – Silver Rain is a 5-reel, 1, 3, 5, 9, 15, 20, 25 or 30-line hybrid game with a 5-level progressive and bonus feature.
• Winning Offer is a 5-reel, 243-way game with a bonus feature.
• Butterfly Sword is a 5-reel, 30-line video reel game with bonus features.
• Platinum 7’s is a 3-reel, 1-line video reel game with bonus features.

Diamond:

• Mars Miner is a 5-reel game with 6 random bonuses and a ‘free spin bonus’.
• Shanghai Dreams is a 5-reel game with free spins and bonus pays.

IGT:

• Texas Tea 3×3 is a 3-reel, 15-line video reel game that contains scatter pays and bonus features.
• AVP Poker 1.1 contains 55 games and 232 paytables.

Konami:

• Mayan Chief is a 5-reel, 20, 25 or 30-line video reel game that offers a bonus feature.
• Vibrant 7’s is a 5-reel, 25-line spinning reel game with scatter pays and bonus features.

Williams:

• Princess Snow is a 5-reel, 48-line video reel game with bonus features, mystery symbols and X-reels.
• Nightingale is a 7-reel, 48-line video reel game with bonus features, mystery symbols and X-reels.
• Gorilla Chief II is a 48-line video X-reels innovation game with a 50 credit fixed bet.
• Queen of the Wild 2 is a video reel game with a bonus feature, which utilizes 2 reel sets (1 main reel set and 1 colossal reel set).
• Koala Kash is an Any Way (243-way) video game on the CPU-NXT3 platform.
• Cheers is a 5-reel, 25-line video reel game which contains bonus features.

Voluntary Exclusion Program:

The Maryland Lottery operates a voluntary exclusion program for individuals who wish to ban themselves from Maryland casinos.  If an individual opts for voluntary exclusion, they will be voluntarily excluded from entering any Maryland casino, as well as cashing checks and using credit cards. The individual will also be taken off of all casino mailing lists. To learn more about Maryland’s Voluntary Exclusion Program please click here.

As of April 12, 2013 the Maryland Voluntary Exclusion Program has 209 participants.

“The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency has conducted a thorough review of Maryland Live’s operations, adherence to internal controls, policies and staff training,” Martino said.  “As a result of our review, we are confident that the casino is prepared to operate its table games to the public.”

Maryland Live Casino conducted two successful controlled demonstrations of the casino’s table games on Friday, April 5 and Tuesday, April 9. The goal of the demonstrations, which were attended by several hundred people, was to test and assess the facility’s 122 table games; internal controls; employee training; surveillance and security; and technical systems. The casino’s portion of the table game proceeds from these events will go to non-profit benefits.

Located just off of MD 295 and Route 100 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland Live Casino opened its doors in June 2012. Licensed for 4,337 slot machines, Maryland Live is the second casino in the state to offer table games, and it employs 2,400 staff members with 300 additional employees expected when the poker room opens this summer.

Hollywood Casino Perryville, which opened in September 2010, began offering table games to the public March 6. The Casino at Ocean Downs, which opened in January 2011, is planning an expansion and has not provided specific details on table games at this time.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission is responsible for all matters relating to the regulation of the state’s casinos. In this regulatory role, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (LGCA) oversees all internal controls, auditing, security, surveillance, background investigation, licensing and accounting procedures for the facilities.