Gaming board reports July revenue increase
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit, all 12 casinos in Pennsylvania were open in July.
The reopenings certainly had an affect on gaming revenue the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported Monday. Revenue generated from gaming and fantasy contests were up 0.56% when compared to July 2019.
Total revenue was $283.05 million, a year-over-year increase from $281.4 million. Tax revenue for the month was $123.3 million.
One big difference from 2019 has been the increase in digital gaming and sports wagering. And those forms helped offset negative results from physical slots and tables games, which still reported losses over the year.
For instance, I-Gaming slots revenue saw a rise of more than 7,500% from $517,712 in July 2019 to $39.4 million. I-Gaming tables revenue also saw a dramatic rise from $294,594 to $11.9 million. Sports wagering took in $8.1 million, an increase of 185% from $2.8 million.
On the other hand, retail slots were down 17% to $165 million from $199.6 million, and retail tables games were down nearly 32% from $76.9 million to $52.5 million.
The two properties owned by Wyomissing-based Penn National Gaming Inc. had mixed results. The Hollywood Casino at Penn National in Dauphin County had total revenue of $27.8 million, a 33.5% increase from the same month of 2019, which was $20.8 million.
Both physical slots and table games were down, but it saw a significant increase in I-Gaming with revenue of $10.7 million. Hollywood’s sports book, however was down 50% to $98,298 as U.S.-based professional leagues resumed competition during July.
The Meadows Casino in Washington County saw a decrease of 8.7% to $18.1 million. It was $19.8 million in July 2019. While slots were down 23% to $13.3 million, table games were up 16.5% to $2.8 million.
It led the state in sports wagering revenue at nearly $2 million.
Among casinos in the region:
• Valley Forge Casino Resort saw a 57.74% increase from $12.04 million to $18.9 million. It saw a 356% increase in sports wagering to $1.3 million as both categories of retail gaming were down. I-Gaming had revenue of $8.2 million.
• Parx Casino saw a 14.4% increase from $52.3 million to $59.8 million. There was a 4% increase in slots at the Bensalem, Bucks County facility, while I-Gaming brought in $7.4 million and sports wagering had a profit of just over $1 million.
• Harrah’s Philadelphia saw a 29.2% increase from $20.05 million to $25.8 million. The Chester-based facility had above average returns for its retail games — slots were up 19.5% to $18.1 million and table games were up 46% to $6.7 million.
• Rivers Casino Philadelphia, which reopened July 17, saw a decrease of 8% from $27.2 million to $25.03 million. Its IGaming operation brought in a state-best $15.4 million in July, while its sportsbook was up 12% over the year to $1.1 million.
Video Gaming Terminals brought in $2.06 million in July. Marquee by Penn, which is owned by Penn National, had gross revenue of $1.6 million in 20 establishments.