The frigid winter has forced gamblers into hibernation — which was chilling news for the state’s budget.
Revenue at the nine casino tracks plummeted by $9 million, or 7 percent, in January, amid arctic cold and snowstorms, according to the New York State Gaming Commission.
Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway saw its “net win” revenues drop 13 percent — to $36.5 million for the first four weeks of January, compared with $42 million for the same period last year.
Business was down at nearly all the upstate “racinos’’: 23 percent at Hamburg, 21 percent at Monticello, 14 percent at Tioga Downs, 8 percent at Vernon Downs, 7 percent at Saratoga and 3.6 percent at the Finger Lakes.
Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct was one of only two betting parlors to weather the polar conditions — but only barely.
It collected $56,255,198 in net-win revenues — what the house takes after paying out winnings — last month, compared to $56,036,726 in January of 2013. That’s just $218,472 more in revenue than a year ago, a measly 0.4 percent increase.
Batavia was the only upstate facility that didn’t take a beating. Its revenue was about the same as a year ago, clearing $3 million.
The dropoff follows a disappointing December, when revenues from the casinos fell 2 percent from a year earlier, figures compiled by the commission show.
Any falloff in gambling business is a big concern to state officials because Albany takes a big bite out of casino revenues to help finance education and support the horse-racing industry.
“The winter weather has played havoc with racino operations. It’s worrisome. It’s a big decline,” said Gary Greenberg, part-owner of the Vernon Downs racino.
“This is the first I can recall revenues declining month-to-month,” he said, citing both January and December figures.
Blame Mother Nature, state officials said.
“Unusually severe weather across New York state definitely had an impact on January’s VLT [Video Lottery Terminal, or slots] revenue figures,” said commission spokesman Lee Park.
“During January, there were 11 separate weather-related closings at VLT facilities across the state. This is significantly higher than previous years. Additionally, several race tracks had to cancel racing due to unsafe conditions,” added Park.
The inclement weather forced many of the casinos to close early and open late.
Meanwhile, the Cuomo administration will issue request for proposals next month to open four Las Vegas-style casinos in three upstate regions: the Hudson Valley-Catskills, the Saratoga-Albany region and the Southern Tier-Finger Lakes. Voters approved the casino expansion in November.
The new casinos will be authorized to offer live table games with dealers as well as slot machines.
Because of noncompete pacts with nearby tribal casinos, only three of the seven upstate racinos — which offer slot machines and electronic table games like sicbo and baccarat — can apply to offer live table games.
Racino operators are worried about their future. “If you have bad weather and more competition, will the racinos survive?” asked Greenberg.