Northern Indiana’s Hard Rock Already Leading the State’s Casino Industry
The Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana has already established itself as a significant entity in Indiana’s gambling sector.
The Hard Rock first opened its doors in May and quickly ascended to become one of the state’s most successful casinos.
Having obtained the revenue figures for June, we can now delve more deeply into the performance of Hard Rock.
Revenue skyrockets at Hard Rock Casino in Indiana
The “Rocksino” opened on May 14, so it only had a few weeks to operate during its debut month.
Despite the reduced timeframe, the Hard Rock’s adjusted gross revenue of $20.9 million was the sixth highest in the entire state. Quite an achievement for just two weeks of business.
The casino’s first full month in action saw things escalate to a new level.
In June, the property made over $26 million in revenue, pushing it to third place in the casino rankings. Only Horseshoe Hammond, with $34.6 million, and Indiana Grand, with $27.6 million, had higher earnings for the month.
Thanks to its close proximity to Indianapolis, Indiana Grand consistently ranks among the top casinos in Indiana.
On the other hand, gambling spots such as Hammond and Hard Rock benefit from visitors coming from Chicago.
The other casino in the area of Indiana is Ameristar East Chicago, but it is already being outdone by the Hard Rock. In June, Ameristar generated a revenue of $21.6 million.
The impressive figures from Rocksino’s first month and a half could potentially stabilize in the long-term.
The opening of a new casino garners significant attention.
The willingness of gamblers to explore new experiences may have temporarily boosted the revenue stream of Hard Rock.
It’s entirely plausible that the Hard Rock’s figures will remain constant. After all, compared to its competitors in the vicinity, the property will always be more recent.
Thank you slot machines
In June, the bulk of Hard Rock’s income was generated from electronic gaming devices. This includes games such as electronic roulette, blackjack, and predominantly, slot machines.
Last month, the over 1,200 slot machines at Hard Rock Northern Indiana proved profitable for the casino.
Electronic devices contributed $20.5 million to the Rocksino’s June revenue of $26 million.
The coin intake of Hard Rock exceeded $200 million in June, indicating that since the casino’s opening, gamblers have been keen to play the slots.
Apart from electronic devices, the Rocksino also had an outstanding month of revenue from table games.
Last month, the Hard Rock generated $5.3 million from table games, marking the second-highest earnings in the whole state. Blackjack was the top-earning game for the Hard Rock, contributing $1.7 million to the revenue.
While it’s a promising beginning, the casino still has a significant distance to cover before it can match Hammond. Last month, Hammond generated over $9 million from table game revenue, indicating a substantial gap between the first two positions.
What about sports betting?
The Hard Rock’s in-person sportsbook hasn’t opened yet, but when it does, it will face stiff competition from the Chicago area.
Ameristar and Hammond possess two out of the top three retail sportsbooks in Indiana. In June, Ameristar recorded approximately $4.5 million in wagers, while Hammond followed with $3.1 million.
Once the Hard Rock’s sportsbook is operational, it will create intense competition in the nearby area.
Adding some online partners to the casino could be one way to stay ahead of the curve.
Before launching in Indiana, online sports betting apps are required to partner with a retail casino.
Thus far, the Hard Rock has not established any online partnerships. It might take a considerable amount of time before this comes to fruition.
Firstly, the retail sportsbook needs to open for business.
Spectacle Entertainment, the parent company of the casino, also has more significant issues to address. The Indiana Gaming Commission is not satisfied with Spectacle, so this will probably take precedence over partnerships with online sportsbook.
No matter what the timeline for sports betting may be, the Rocksino remains in a strong position. Its revenue from slot machines and table games ensures that the Hard Rock will continue to be a significant player in Indiana’s gambling scene for the foreseeable future.