The article added that the state taxed 15 percent of the remainder and collected $460,000. This sounds like a nice shot in the arm for Maryland revenue. However, another way to look at that is that $16 million was spent in Maryland and the state collected only $460,000 — 2.8 percent. If that same $16 million were spent at most Maryland businesses, or Virginia or D.C. businesses, the respective revenue agencies would have collected 6 percent, 5.3 percent or 6 percent, respectively.
Gambling didn’t just cause gamblers to lose, but the state(s) lost out on another $400,000 to $500,000 in missed revenue from money that would likely have been spent anyway.
