Pennsylvania gaming revenue hit yet another all-time high before the close of 2021. Overall taxable gaming revenue in November totaled $432.5 million, a whopping 52% increase over November 2020, according to revenue figures released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on Tuesday.
The new record just beat out the previous high set in October 2021 of $425.9 million. It also brought PA gaming revenue over $4 billion for the year. Pennsylvania had already eclipsed its record annual gaming revenue in October.
PA online casino revenue in November came in just shy of the high. But it was a record-shattering month for PA sports betting with revenue $84.9 million nearly doubling the previous high of $48.1 million from September.
Read on for some key numbers plus four facts and one opinion about PA casino revenue in November 2021.
Key numbers from November 2021 PA gaming revenue
- Pennsylvania overall gaming revenue (taxable): $432.5 million ($425.9 million in Oct.)
- Online casino revenue (GGR): $114.5 million ($117 million in Oct.)
- Online casino tax revenue: $39.1 million ($43.3 million in Oct.)
- Sports betting handle: $761.6 million ($776. 3 million in Oct.)
- Sports betting revenue: $84.9 million ($42.3 million in Oct.)
- Sports betting tax revenue: $22.9 million ($8.5 million in Oct.)
Four facts about PA casino revenue in November 2021
1) PA casino revenue is consistently over $100 million per month.
Pennsylvania iGaming sites have posted over $100 million in GGR every month since March 2021. And December should continue the trend.
That puts PA among the leaders in online casino revenue, as only New Jersey and Michigan can say the same.
2) Online casino revenue rises in tandem with retail casino revenue (and sports betting revenue).
Overall taxable gaming revenue hit an all-time high in November. It was also up 33% year-over-year compared to November 2020. Before the launch of legal online gambling, many feared it would cut into retail revenue. Those fears are all but distant memories now as gaming companies continue to leverage their online and retail products for overall brand and growth.
Here’s a look at year-over-year increases in taxable revenue among the biggest revenue-generators for November:
- Retail slots: 43.2%
- Retail table games: 58.4%
- Sports betting: 70.5%
- Online slots: 61.2%
- Online table games: 53.9%
3) Online casinos continue to prove a significant portion of both gaming revenue and taxes for PA.
PA online casinos are an important source of gaming revenue every month. With 17 legal online casinos now operational in Pennsylvania (and four online poker brands), it’s one of the most mature markets in the US.
In November, taxable revenue from online casino sites made up 21.7% of overall PA gaming revenue. iGaming also brought in 22.8% of the total $171.9 million in tax revenue for the state in November.
PA has some of the highest internet gaming tax rates around: 54% for online slots, 16% for table games and poker.
4) Online casino operators in PA are a major case of the haves and have-nots.
A whopping 82.3% of online casino gaming market share (in November) belongs to three of the state’s ten license holders. Collectively, those states operate nine of the total 17 online betting apps.
PA-based Penn National continues to dominate market share (40.4%) with its four heavy-hitting brands Hollywood, DraftKings, BetMGM and Barstool. Rivers Philadelphia, with its more local brands (BetRivers, SugarHouse and Borgata) remains firmly in second (26.7% market share).
Meanwhile, Valley Forge with FanDuel and Stardust casino sites continues to hold onto the No. 3 spot with 15.2% market share.
| Licensee | Online Brand(s) | Total Revenue | Slots Revenue | Table Games Revenue | Poker Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Penn National | Hollywood | DraftKings | BetMGM | $46,246,312 | $31,840,603 | $14,172,945 | $232,763 |
| Rivers Philadelphia | SugarHouse | BetRivers | Borgata | $30,613,778 | $27,731,791 | $2,796,872 | $85,114 |
| Valley Forge | FanDuel | Stardust | $17,444,360 | $9,684,546 | $7,759,814 | $0 |
| Mount Airy | PokerStars | $6,259,718 | $3,580,456 | $891,082 | $1,788,180 |
| Parx | Parx | $3,904,976 | $3,468,302 | $436,674 | $0 |
| Harrah's Philadelphia | Caesars | $2,736,676 | $1,893,174 | $194,879 | $648,623 |
| Mohegan Sun Pocono | Unibet | $2,355,675 | $1,856,076 | $499,598 | $0 |
| Live Philadelphia | PlayLive | Betway | $1,928,354 | $1,643,207 | $285,147 | $0 |
| Presque Isle | TwinSpires | $1,599,995 | $1,075,737 | $524,258 | $0 |
| Wind Creek | Wind Creek | $1,426,335 | $1,334,674 | $91,661 | $0 |
| Total | $114,516,179 | $84,108,567 | $27,652,931 | $2,754,681 |
One opinion: The days of less than $100 million revenue months for PA online casinos are over.
It was clear in the spring of 2020 that the coronavirus accelerated online gaming revenue. Over a year later, online gambling remains a popular complement to retail gaming in Pennsylvania. Even as retail gaming options continue expanding with the opening of two mini-casinos so far and a third (Hollywood Morgantown, pictured above) set to open Dec. 22.
The online gambling trend is here to stay, and is not hurting land-based casino revenue which is also up significantly year-over-year.
Further, as unknowns still abound with new virus strains and Philadelphia-mandated vaccination requirements in public places including casinos, PA online casinos will remain a steady option for a home-based alternative.
Lead image of Hollywood Morgantown taken by Katie Kohler.