Gaming revenues at Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway were up in December, according to the Kansas Lottery Commission.
Hollywood Casino reported $12.1 million in gaming revenues during December, according to Keith Kocher, lottery director of program assurance and integrity.
That compares with November’s gaming revenues of $11.5 million for Hollywood Casino, according to lottery figures.
Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City, Kan., reported $3.07 million in November gaming revenues, compared to $3.29 million in December, according to lottery figures.
Kansas Star Casino revenues, in Mulvane, Kan., also were up in December as compared to November, with $14.1 million reported in November and $15.1 million reported in December.
For the past six months, Hollywood Casino gaming revenues are up slightly, Kocher said, Boot Hill was up and Kansas Star was down slightly.
He said a fourth state casino, Kansas Crossing near Pittsburg, Kan., is on pace to open in the third week of March. A court case continues on the new casino, he added, and arguments may be heard in two weeks
Kansas Lottery officials said they appeared before a state legislative committee today to discuss the lottery and gaming revenues.
There is a proposal to take $31 million in lottery proceeds and fund community mental health centers with it, according to lottery officials. Under the proposal, the funding might be taken from prize payouts. Currently, the lottery sends revenues to the state’s general fund.
Sherriene Jones-Sontag, lottery deputy executive director, told the Kansas Lottery Commission at its meeting today that lottery officials will be talking to legislators about the big picture on the lottery. Some proposals, such as smaller prizes for players, may have a negative effect on overall sales and transfers to the state, she said.
The Kansas Lottery currently averages about 58 percent in payouts to players, which is considered on the low range, according to lottery officials.
The lottery has other ideas of how to responsibly grow lottery sales and transfer the additional amount to the state government, Jones-Sontag said, such as a proposal to allow the lottery to use vending machines.
Lottery Executive Director Terry Presta said revenues have been up recently, with a sell-out of the Holiday Millionaire Raffle game. About 25,000 more tickets were sold by the end of the game as compared to the previous year, meaning an extra half-million dollars produced in revenue, he said.