An overview of igaming revenue in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, the three states where igaming has launched in the U.S.
Pennsylvania
Eleven out of Pennsylvania’s 12 brick-and-mortar casinos opened in June, though the first two didn’t emerge from the shutdown until June 9; two reopened on June 22, with three on June 26 and two on June 29. And with them all at 50% or less capacity, the re-openings had a noticeable, though not major, affect on igaming revenues in the Keystone State.
In June, Pennsylvania Internet-casino revenues totaled $50 million, down 11% from the record high of $55.8 million in May. June’s slot revenues were $36.8 million, down only 5% month over month, while table-game play sustained a larger decrease, from $12.4 million in May to $10 million in June, a drop of 19%. Online poker took the biggest hit, accounting for $3.2 million in revenues, down nearly 30% from May’s $4.6 million, itself a 12.5% decrease from April.
Even with revenues down across the board, the total igaming handle in June was $1.7 billion, down only 6% from May’s $1.8 billion.
Pennsylvania’s tax revenue from online play in June was $21.5 million, down 7% from May’s $23.2 million.
As usual, Rivers Philly was the big winner in the Keystone State’s igaming space; its $15 million take ($13.3 million at the slots, $1.7 million at the tables) accounted for a full third of the state’s total online win.
New Jersey
New Jersey’s igaming revenues dropped month over month, but by an insignificant 1%: down to $84.9 million from $85.9 million in May. All Atlantic City casinos were closed for the entire month.
Similar to Pennsylvania’s numbers, online poker was down from $4.5 million in May (itself a drop from $5.1 million April) to $3.5 million in June (down 22%).
The Golden Nugget’s $29.1 million in online-gambling revenues were unchanged from May, accounting, again, for a little more than a third of the New Jersey igaming total for the month.
The big story in New Jersey in June was revenue from sports betting: $12.6 million, up from $10.1 million in May, a 20% increase as sports bettors adjusted to new wagering options, such as Korean baseball and Eastern European soccer.
For the month of May, New Jersey’s total gaming taxes were $13.5 million, down 5% from May’s $14.2 million.
Delaware
Delaware’s three casinos were open for the entire month of June, so igaming revenues took a hit as expected, but not as much as they might have. The casinos were limited to 30% total capacity and many gamblers still opted for online play, rather than risking increased personal contact.
Delaware’s igaming revenues of $965,000 for the month dropped from $1.1 million in May, down 13%. Still, they were higher than April’s $856,000, when the brick-and-mortar casinos were shuttered.
Video lottery games were again the main source of income, generating $737,000, down 8% from May’s $798,000. Table games dropped precipitously, from $242,000 in May to $170,000 in June (30%). Poker sustained an even bigger decrease, from $93,900 in May to $57,700 in June (39%).
National
Total igaming revenue for June 2020 in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware added up to just under $136 million, a 5% decrease over May’s $142.8 million.
With Delaware’s three casinos reopened for the entire month of June and a handful of Pennsylvania’s casinos opening, though mostly toward the end of the month, these decreases weren’t unexpected. As predicted last month, it looks like May 2020 has set a new record for igaming revenues, at least until more states open up Internet gambling.
