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Even an uptick in revenue from table games could not prevent Pennsylvania gaming revenues from declining in July.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released July 2017 table games revenue numbers last week. The $77.8 million in table game revenues reported by the state’s 12 casinos represented an increase of approximately 3.8 percent.
However, when combined with declining slot machine revenue numbers posted earlier this month, total gaming revenue in the state was actually down around $1.5 million. This represented a 0.51 percent decrease compared to July of last year.
PA total gaming revenues hit $286.9 million
Pennsylvania’s total gaming revenue hit $286.9 million in July compared to $288.4 million last year.
Slot machine revenues in the state fell two percent in July. The number was down from $213.4 million in July 2016 to $209 million in the same month this year. This also represented the tenth straight month of year-over-year declines in slot revenues.
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem continued to hold the market lead in table game revenue in July. Despite a 2.5 percent decline from last year, Sands still reported $20.6 million in revenue from table games. No other casino reported more than $20 million.
Parx Casino was a distant second with $15.4 million in table game revenue. This July 2017 number actually represented a 10.38 percent increase over July 2016.
Both Mount Airy Casino Resort (up 44.93 percent to $5 million) and The Meadows Casino (up 39.57 percent to $3.7 million) saw massive increases in table game revenues in July.
Valley Forge Casino Resort saw the biggest drop. Its numbers were down 30.4 percent from $3.7 million to $2.6 million.
Parx Casino heads up the list
In terms of total gaming revenue, Parx Casino continued to lead the pack with $49.9 million in total gaming revenue in July 2017. This represented a 4.69 percent year-over-year increase.
Sands continued to hold on to second place, despite reporting a 3.72 percent dip in total gaming revenue to $47 million.
Pennsylvania charges a 54 percent tax rate on slots and 16 percent on table games. As a result, Pennsylvania casinos paid approximately $115.4 million in gaming taxes in July.
The Gaming Control Board estimates the state’s 12 casino operations generate approximately $1.4 billion in tax revenue from slot machine and table games play annually.
Lawmakers look for $200 million more
However, the state is still hoping to see an increase in tax revenue from gaming, having included $200 million in revenue from gambling expansion in its current budget. This hope lives in a comprehensive gaming expansion bill that is likely to legalize and regulate online gambling in PA.
The bill is still being considered by state lawmakers. After separate versions of the bill were passed by both the PA House and Senate, lawmakers appear stuck on whether to approve video gaming terminals at locations including bars, social clubs, and truck stops around state.
However, some form of the legislation is expected to pass in the fall.