The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
2020 gambling revenue takes dive in Pennsylvania
As one of many businesses having to endure the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Pennsylvania’s gaming industry slumped over the year. As expected, there was a drop of 22.24% in overall gaming revenue for the year, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported this week.
It could have been worse. The numbers were propped up by strong revenue increases from newer gambling initiatives such as sports wagering and internet gaming.
The PGCB said there were 1,473 closure days between the state’s 13 brick-and-mortar casinos. Additionally, video gaming terminal establishments (VGTs) were also shut down.
For the year, total gaming revenue was $2.6 billion, down from $3.4 billion in 2019. Games that were introduced after the Gaming Expansion Act of 2017 — which includes I-Gaming, sports wagering, fantasy sports and VGTs — saw revenue of $793.2 million, an increase of 443.6% from 2019.
Total tax revenue, according to the PGCB, was just over $1 billion, down from $1.4 billion in 2019.
Broken down by games, slots were still the dominant form of revenue, bringing in $1.3 billion during the year. I-Gaming was second at $565.7 million and tables games were third at $504.3 million.
At the Hollywood Casino at Penn National, owned by Wyomissing-based Penn National Gaming Inc., slots were down 40.6% to $120.5 million and table games were down 38% to $23.9 million. The casino in Dauphin County was closed for 120 days because of the pandemic.
Sports wagering was up more than 500% to $19 million and
Hollywood’s I-Gaming operation took in $162.5 million.
At Penn National’s other property in the state, The Meadows Casino in Washington County, slots were down 44% to $111.8 million and table games were down about 46% to $19.2 million. It was closed for 103 days.
The sportsbook at The Meadows was a bright spot, seeing a huge increase to $30.2 million from $2.3 million.
At other regional casinos:
•Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia, Montgomery County, which was closed for 124 days, had slots revenue of $57.1 million, table games revenue of $23.9 million, sports wagering revenue of $69 million and I-Gaming revenue of $95.2 million.
• Harrah’s Philadelphia, Chester, which was closed for 123 days, had slots revenue of $116.9 million, table games revenue of $41.4 million, sports wagering revenue of $1.7 million and I-Gaming revenue of $7.8 million.
• Parx Casino in Bensalem, Bucks County, which was closed for 125 days, had slots revenue of $262.5 million, table games revenue of $118 million, sports wagering revenue of $30.2 million and I-Gaming revenue of $61.8 million.
•Rivers Casino, Philadelphia, which was closed for 165 days, had slots revenue of $81.1 million, table games revenue of $66.8 million, sports wagering revenue of $17.5 million and I-Gaming revenue of $162.5 million.
• Wind Creek Bethlehem, which was closed 122 days, had slots revenue of $150.8 million, table games revenue of $103.9 million, sports wagering revenue of $57,332 and I-Gaming revenue of $2.3 million.
Marquee By Penn, which is owned by Penn National, had VGT revenue of $13.1 million.