Internet gaming passes $100 million in May

In its report for May, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board finds that digital gambling is growing.

Internet gambling helped the bottom line for gaming companies during the coronavirus pandemic.

In the latest monthly report from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, internet gaming surpassed $100 million in revenue for the first time in May with a total of $101.2 million, an 81.3% year-over-year increase.

Wyomissing-based Penn National Gaming Inc. had the biggest share of that total. The Hollywood Casino at Penn National in Dauphin County had I-Gaming revenue of $41.3 million. That total was split between $25.3 million for slots, $15.6 million for table games and $278,765 for poker.

I-Gaming also helped make Hollywood the most profitable casino in the state for May with total revenue of $62.9 million, surpassing Parx Casino in Bucks County which brought in $61.7 million.

Revenue from all forms of gaming in the state was $413.1 million in May. The PGCB compared those figures to May 2019, which showed an increase of 42.1% from $290.8 million. All brick-and-mortar facilities were closed in May 2020 because of the pandemic.

Total tax revenue for the month was $169.3 million.

Retail slots continued to be the biggest money-maker for casinos with revenue of $201.3 million, while table games brought in $77.2 million. Sports betting raised $27.7 million.

Slots accounted for $16.4 million at Hollywood Casino at Penn National and table games was at $3.3 million. Sports wagering revenue was $1.8 million.

Penn National’s other casino in the state, The Meadows Casino in Washington County, had total revenue of $20.6 million. Slots accounted for $13.9 million while table games brought in $2.6 million.

The Hollywood Casino Morgantown, which Penn National will open in the fall, continues to bring in money through digital sports wagering. Total revenue for May was $268,069. Among regional casinos:

• Parx Casino, Bensalem, Bucks County, had overall revenue of $61.7 million as slots revenue was $37.8 million and table games were at $18 million. IGaming was at $3.9 million.

•Rivers Casino Philadelphia had revenue of $48 million. IGaming brought in most of the revenue at $27 million, while slots were at $12.5 million and table games at $8.5 million.

• Valley Forge Casino, King of Prussia, Montgomery County, had revenue of $42.1 million. Much of that came from its IGaming platform with revenue of $16.2 million. By comparison, slots brought in $7.5 million. Sports wagering was a bright spot at $14.5 million.

• Wind Creek, Bethlehem, had revenue of $37.1 million. Slots accounted for $22.8 million, and table games brought in $13.5 million.

•Live! Casino Philadelphia, which was in its fifth month of operation, raked in $20.1 million, mostly from slots.

• Harrah’s Philadelphia, Chester, had revenue of $18.7 million. The bulk of that figure came from slots, which brought in $12.5 million.

Video game terminals had revenue of $3.6 million. Marquee by Penn, which is owned by Penn National, had revenue of $2.6 million.