Pennsylvania gaming revenue hit $309 million from slot and table games, setting a new record for March.
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s (PGCB) latest revenue report, total gaming revenue was 2.86% higher than March 2018; the last time revenue was over $300 million.
The state also announced $5.5 million in revenue from the young PA sports betting market, and a record amount of handle for a single month. The total amount wagered, $44.5 million, is the most in any month in any state outside of New Jersey and Nevada.
That was in part due to betting on March Madness and the opening of two new sportsbooks in Valley Forge.
Breaking down PA casino revenue numbers
After a modest February, the record-setting March was due in part by the highest single month for table games. According to the PGCB, table game revenue was an explosive $82.5 million outdoing the previous high of $79.2 million back April 2017.
Additionally, the $226.6 million in slot machine revenue, which was the third-highest monthly mark, helped fuel an active month for the gaming industry.
Casino revenue = tax dollars
Tax revenue from table games totaled $13.3 million with an average of 1,279 table games in daily operation, according to the PGCB.
Additionally, tax revenue from slot machines was a substantial $77 million, with a total of 25,238 machines in operation.
The top three PA casinos with the highest table game revenue for March were:
- Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem: $23,240,844
- Parx Casino: $17,509,050
- SugarHouse Casino: $9,189,371
Three casinos, Sands Casino (22.77%), Valley Forge Casino (14.49%), and Presque Isle Downs (10.95%) were the only ones to post double-digit percentage gains over the same period last year.
Total table game revenue was up 4.25% from the same period last year.
High numbers across the board for PA casinos
Eight of the state’s 12 casinos saw an increase in total gaming revenue.
Valley Forge Casino Resort led the way with a 13.64% increase from the same period in 2018.
The list of top performers are:
- Parx Casino – $56,799,077 (3.96%)
- Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem – $50,935,397 (8.90%)
- Rivers Casino – $35,757,627 (6.59%)
- Harrah’s Philadelphia – $25,056,283 (1.17%)
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course – $24,038,736 (1.44%)
- Mount Airy Casino Resort – $16,347,609 (5.48%)
- Valley Forge Casino Resort – $13,154,276 (13.64%)
- Presque Isle Downs and Casino – $12,345,643 (3.81%)
PA sports betting keeps growing
Sports betting handle was up 40% from February, when it clocked in at $31.5 million.
Revenue in March more than doubled month over month to $5.5 million. It came in at $1.9 million in February.
Rivers Casino Sportsbook in Pittsburgh is still the market leader, with about a quarter of all handle: $11.9 million. Here how the state’s other sportsbooks fared:
- SugarHouse Casino Sportsbook: $9.2 million
- Parx Casino Sportsbook $7.96 million
- Hollywood Casino Sportsbook: $5.3 million handle
- Harrah’s Sportsbook: $3.8 handle
- South Philadelphia Race and Sportsbook: $3.6 million
- FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge: $2 million
- Valley Forge Race and Sportsbook: $700,000
The two new books instantly contributed to the nascent sports betting industry despite being open for only half the month.