The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) released the PA casino total revenue numbers for 2018, and the news is mostly positive. Once again, the Keystone State’s 12 casinos combined to hit a new all-time high in gaming revenue.
For the third-straight year, Pennsylvania gaming revenue cleared the $3.2 billion mark. The new number to beat for 2019 is $3,248,681,377. It tops the previous high of $3,226,910,816 set in 2017.
PA Casino 2018 gross revenue breakdown
- Slot machine revenue – $2,369,885,203
- Table game revenue – $878,796,174
- Total gaming revenue – $3,248.681,377
Since the opening of Pennsylvania’s first slots-only casino in 2006 (Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs), casino gambling has generated more than $32.3 billion in revenue.
Table games breakdown by PA Casino
Pennsylvania table games revenue for the year, overall, was down slightly (-1.34 percent). Five of the casinos saw a year-over-year percentage increase, with Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh seeing the biggest uptick at 15.57 percent. The numbers include a strong December in which the property won $6,662,771 — an 8.46 percent increase for the same period a year ago.
| Casino | Table games revenue | Change Y-o-Y |
|---|---|---|
| Sands Bethlehem | $221,914,456 | -8.74% |
| Parx Casino | $191,259,779 | +7.27% |
| SugarHouse Casino | $121,812,426 | +1.62% |
| Rivers Casino | $76,043,050 | +15.57% |
| Harrah's Philadelphia | $61,661, 933 | -5.53% |
| $41,896,146 | -16.35% | |
| Valley Forge Casino | $38,192,929 | 10.96% |
| Hollywood Casino | $36,136,014 | 1.06% |
| Meadows Casino | $35,776,680 | -2.26% |
| Mohegan Sun Pocono | $35,697,387 | -15.84% |
| Presque Isle Downs | $14,371,830 | -.68% |
| Lady Luck Nemacolin | $4,033,544 | -11.32% |
Here comes PA sports betting
Sports betting officially launched at Hollywood Casino at Penn National on Nov. 17. SugarHouse in Philadelphia and Rivers opened their temporary sportsbooks on Dec. 15, so PA sports betting revenue is still in its very early stages. According to PGCB numbers, the three casinos combined for a $16,173,090 handle, $2,006,546 in revenue while generating $722,356 in taxes.
This month, the PA sports betting field has already doubled in size. Parx Casino in Bensalem opened its temporary sportsbook on Jan. 10. The Parx-run South Philadelphia Turf Club held its grand opening on Jan. 17, and Harrah’s Philadelphia is cutting the ribbon on The Book this week (Jan. 24).
What about PA online sports betting?
Online sports betting in the works too, possibly with a launch coming as early as the first quarter of this year. The PGCB has yet to comment on an exact time frame.
Using New Jersey as a measuring stick for potential online sports betting revenue, the nine mobile/online sportsbooks that were operational as of December combined for $241,043,289 of the overall sports handle.
Since the first legal sports bet was placed in New Jersey back on June 14 of last year, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement reported the total sports handle is now more than $1.2 billion while the total NJ sports betting revenue has hit the $94 million mark.
The PA sports betting field is only expected to continue expanding this year, setting the stage for what will be a record year in PA in 2020, given the amount of gambling expansion.