OXFORD — The town of Oxford received nearly $1.91 million from table games and slot machines at Oxford Casino in 2018, according to the Maine Gambling Control Board.
That’s $180,156 more than the year before.
The gambling enterprise on Route 26 had 968 slot machines and 28 table games in play during 2018.
According to numbers released recently by the Maine Gambling Control Board, the town’s 2 percent of revenues was $1.55 million from slots and $351,196 from table games.
In 2017, the town received $1.72 million – $1.37 million from slots and $351,282 from table games.
There are no restrictions on how the town spends the money.
“The money goes into a general revenue account and is used to offset expenses such as the town’s monthly payment to RSU 17, fuel costs, payroll and health insurance, etc.,” Town Manager Butch Asselin said. “Proceeds received from the casino are treated similarly to other revenues the town receives such as excise tax, plumbing permits, real estate taxes and boat registrations.”
In the past, town officials have used the money to reduce property taxes and pay for police and fire services, Town Office expenses and the transfer station.
Oxford County’s 1 percent take in 2018 was $953,147 – $777,349 was from slots and $175,798 from table games. In 2017 it received $862,869 – $687,227 from slots and $175,641 from table games.
The county has traditionally used most of the money for tax relief and some for vehicle replacement.
The revenue for the town and county is based on a formula established by the referendum that set up the casino in 2010. According to the referendum, 46 percent of net slot machine income and 16 percent of net table game income goes to the state through the Maine Gambling Control Board.
The board members return a predetermined percentage of table game and slot operations to a variety of entities, including 10 percent to the Department of Education for public schools, 1 percent for agricultural fairs, 3 percent for Maine Community College scholarships and 4 percent to the governments of the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes.
ldixon@sunmediagroup.net
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