Pa. casino revenues fall 22.2% in 2020

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was no jackpot for Pennsylvania casinos

Total revenues plunged 22.2% last year, from $3.4 billion to $2.6 billion, after the state’s 13 casinos shut down twice in a bid to curb the spread of the insidious virus, according to figures released Tuesday by the state gaming control board.

In all, the casinos lost 1,473 days to the virus — or 33% of the number of days they typically would have been open in a normal year. They were shut down in March for several months and again in December.

Likewise, video gaming terminals at truck stops ended up being closed by a similar percentage of days.

As a result of the casino losses, overall state revenues derived from gambling fell by nearly $317 million last year,

according to the gaming board. Not all the news was bad. With casinos shut down for more than half of December, the month generated a record $71.6 million in gross revenue from Internet gaming, as gamblers

turned to other outlets, crushing the previous high of $59.8 million in October.

Furthermore, the handle for sports wagering in December, at

$548.6 million, was the highest ever, beating the $525.8 million bet in October.

Despite the pandemic, it was a good year overall for the newer forms of gambling — I-gaming, sports wagering, fantasy contests, and video gaming terminals — authorized by the state General Assembly in 2017.

Those revenues jumped a whopping 443.6% last year, from $145.9 million in 2019 to $793.3 million.

While slot machine and table game revenues plummeted by 42.6% and 44.2% respectively last year, sports wagering soared 125.5%, I-gaming by 1,583.8%, and video gaming terminals by 615%.

Nonetheless, even with more options available for gamblers, 2020 generated the least amount of revenue statewide since 2010. It was only the third year in the last decade that overall revenues declined and it was by far the biggest drop.

Regional casino losses mirrored the statewide numbers. Rivers Casino on the North Shore saw slots and table games revenues fall by 46.1% and 41.8% respectively; the Meadows, 44% and 45.9%; and Lady Luck Casino at Nemacolin, 38.4% and 39.7%.

On the plus side, sports wagering revenues increased by 21.5% at Rivers Casino and by 1,204.8% at the Meadows.

Emily Matthews/Post-Gazette The Plexiglas installed between kiosks on the gaming floor of Rivers Casino is an example of the effects that COVID-19 had on casinos. Internet gaming made big gains while the casinos were closed.