The Keystone State’s gaming sector has once again demonstrated its robust growth as the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) released its latest figures for July 2023, showcasing an impressive surge in revenue across various gaming avenues. The overall revenue generated by the state’s gaming industry reached a significant total of $467 million for the month, marking a 6% increase compared to the previous month and an 8.8% rise from July 2022.
Gaming Variety Powers $192 Million Tax Boost for Pennsylvania
The revenue boost contributed significantly to state and local governments, amassing a total of $192 million in tax revenue for July. The online casino sector was a major driver of the revenue growth, with operators collectively raking in $132.9 million from players. While this figure indicated a slight 1.8% dip from June, it reflected an impressive 34.8% increase when compared to July 2022.
Among the standout performers in the online casino sector was Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, which claimed $54.4 million in combined earnings. Notably, this was attributed to various operators utilizing the Hollywood Casino license, such as DraftKings, BetMGM, PointsBet, Barstool, and Hollywood Casino platforms.
Valley Forge Casino Resort, represented by FanDuel and StarDust Casino, followed closely with $29.2 million in revenue, while Rivers Casino Philadelphia-based operators, including BetRivers, PlaySugarHouse, and Borgata, generated $26.8 million.
Rivers Philadelphia Leads Amidst Flat In-Person Casino Visits
However, in the realm of brick-and-mortar casinos, the data highlighted a relatively stagnant in-person visitation trend despite an increase in the number of venues over the year. The 17 operational casinos reported $214.7 million in slots revenue for July, a marginal difference from the previous year’s 16-casino figure. Table games revenue totaled $83.4 million, a $3 million decrease from July 2022.
Rivers Philadelphia casino emerged as the standout performer in this category, boasting a 24% surge in slots revenue to $12.1 million. Nonetheless, its table games revenue declined by 5.9% to $7.2 million. On the other hand, Harrah’s Philadelphia experienced a challenging month, with slots revenue down by 16.6% to $9.6 million and table games revenue dropping 24% to $2.7 million.
Parx Casino maintained its position as the leader in slots revenue with $33.3 million, albeit a 1% decrease from July 2022. Meanwhile, Wind Creek Bethlehem retained its status as the favored destination for table games, generating $23.7 million, just under 1% higher than the previous July’s level. Aside from the great performance of the sector, the PGCB has been slamming casinos in the state with hefty fines due to regulatory breaches, including underage gambling and inadequate supervision of children.