The gaming market in Pennsylvania showed a substantial increase in revenues in October 2020 from the previous year. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said on November 17 that gaming and fantasy contests took in $320.2 million from customers, a 12.9% increase from the $283.7 million generated in October 2019.
The increase comes in the ninth month since restrictions were imposed by the state on brick-and-mortar casinos due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite a 17.2% decrease in slot revenue, from $186.9 million in 2019 to $154.7 in 2020. Table games revenue also fell, from $73.1 million in 2019 to $63.3 million this year, a decrease of 13.4%.
Pennsylvania’s gains were due to considerable increases in igaming and sports wagering. Revenue from igaming reached $59.7 million in October, an increase 1,109% from the previous year’s $4.9 million. Rivers Casino Philadelphia – which announced November 17 it was closing on November 19 until at least Jan. 1, 2021 because of a surge in COVID-19 – lead all Pennsylvania casinos with $16.6 million in igaming revenue.
The total handle for sports wagering reached $525.8 million, more than 50% higher than October 2019’s total of $241.1 million. The October total handle was the most ever in Pennsylvania, besting the previous record of $462.7 million set in September 2020. Taxable sports wagering revenue was $36.8 million, also a record for a month in the state, with the previous high total $22.8 million reached in January 2020.
Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia brought in the highest total handle for sports wagering, $184.9 million, with total revenues of $15.6 million.
Fantasy contest revenues slightly declined in October 2020 to $3.20 million, a 2% decrease from the previous year’s $3.26 million.
As in September 2020, Parx Casino in Philadelphia accrued the most total revenue, $54.9 million, a small increase of 0.47% from October 2019’s $54.6 million. Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia had the largest percentage increase (112.47%) in revenue from the previous year, with total revenue increasing from $16.6 million in October 2019 to $39.0 million this year.
Other significant increases in total revenues by state casinos:
Hollywood Casino at Penn National, 68.9% to $34.96 million in October 2020 from $20.7 million in October 2019.
Mt. Airy Casino Resort in Pocono, 44.5% to $23.25 million in October 2020 from $16.09 million in October 2019
Rivers Casino Philadelphia, 29.2% to $39.08 million in October 2020 from $30.25 million in October 2019.
