Maryland Live

Cards started turning and dice began rolling early Thursday morning at Maryland Live, already the largest slots casino in the Mid-Atlantic. Opened just 10 months ago, the casino next to an Anne Arundel County outlet mall rakes in more money from slot machines than any other casino from New Jersey to West Virginia, including those in Atlantic City. And now it has added table games such as blackjack, roulette and baccarat, taking a big step toward becoming the Mid-Atlantic's dominant full-scale casino.

Amid legal wrangling and a ballot fight, it seemed as though the casino proposed for Arundel Mills would never become a reality. Nearly two years ago, the state's slots commission awarded Anne Arundel County's sole slots license to Baltimore developer Cordish Cos. But construction began only this past January. That's because Cordish battled numerous opponents, including the Maryland Jockey Club, which had sought to steer the license to Laurel Park race course in an attempt to boost the track's ailing business.

Maryland's three casinos generated $45.2 million in revenue in December, with most of that from the state's largest and newest casino, Maryland Live — and at the expense of the state's oldest. Last month, Maryland Live took in $35.9 million, or a daily average of $244.15 per machine, according to figures released Monday by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. The Arundel Mills casino operates 4,750 slot machines and electronic table games. The Arundel Mills casino opened in June.

When 2 a.m. came Friday, the sound of coins hitting metal — electronically replicated, of course, since the slot machines pay out with a printed ticket — continued at Maryland Live casino. About 1,000 people stayed where they were, plugging money into the video terminals and ordering drinks. Terry Cohen of Randallstown was there to celebrate the new schedule that will keep the casino open 24 hours a day. "There's nothing to do around here at night," she said. "The town shuts down.

Maryland Live brought in more than $38.3 million in revenue in February - a new record by $2 million - despite a shortened month and the temporary removal of 700 video lottery terminals to accommodate table games. In all, Maryland's casinos brought in $47.8 million, the second-highest amount since last July, which was Maryland Live's first full month of operations. All but $15.8 million of the money brought in by casinos went back to the state. Hollywood Casino in Perryville generated a little less than $6 million, representing a drop of 48 percent year-over-year.

Maryland's casinos will be allowed to open 24 hours a day under new regulations approved Thursday by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission that also relaxed limits on ATMs and lending to gamblers in the facilities. With the advent of full-scale casino gambling in Maryland after voters approved table games in the November election, the commission is updating the regulatory regime and relaxing some restrictions. The changes also added new rules, including some governing junkets that casinos provide to high-rolling gamblers.

Maryland Live at Arundel Mills mall brought in the overwhelming bulk of the $26.5 million that Maryland's three casinos pushed into the state's treasury during October, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency announced Wednesday. The Anne Arundel casino, in Hanover, generated $20.5 million for the state last month. The casino operates 4,750 gambling machines. Hollywood Casino Perryville, which is in Cecil County and has 1,500 machines, contributed $3.7 million. The Casino at Ocean Downs, in Worcester County, sent $2.4 million that was made on its 800 machines, the agency said in a statement.

If Maryland legislators are looking for a sign to tell them whether to support Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan to expand the state's gambling program to include a sixth casino, they got it this week when Penn National Gaming asked if it could give back a third of the slot machines at its Hollywood Casino in Perryville. That facility had been reeling since a new competitor,the Cordish Cos. Maryland Live, opened in June, and Penn National officials said having fewer machines would save them money and make the casino look a little less depressingly empty for those who still gamble there.