Slot and video game revenue for Connecticut’s two casinos continued to drop as the May numbers decreased nearly 10 percent compared to last year and more than 15 percent over the past five years — the lowest May for both in at least eight years.
Foxwoods on Tuesday reported to state revenue collectors a $56.4 million take in slot win for May, down 9.4 percent from May 2009. The drop was slightly less at Mohegan Sun, where the $65.0 million take in slot win for May is down 7.0 percent from May 2009.
Foxwoods said it was the lowest May slot total since 1997, when it had about 2,500 fewer slot machines.
Mohegan said May was its lowest since 2002, the year it doubled its slot machines to more than 6,000.
The decreases in slot win represent an overall decline in casino revenues over the past five years. Since May 2006, Foxwoods slot win is down 22.3 percent while Mohegan Sun has lost 16.7 percent.
As a result, the casinos’ contributions to the state of Connecticut have decreased as well. The $14.9 million Foxwoods contributed to the state from May is down 4.5 percent from last year and 17.7 percent from five years ago. Mohegan Sun’s contribution of $16.5 million from May has decreased 5.7 percent from last year and 15.5 percent from five years ago.
The overall handle at the two casinos decreased as well. Mohegan Sun reported a $793 million handle, down 6.9 percent from last year, while the Foxwoods’ handle is down 6.1 percent.
The two casinos opened in the 1990s and are owned by rival Native American tribes in eastern Connecticut. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation runs Foxwoods while the Mohegan Tribe owns Mohegan Sun.
