Pa.’s record gambling binge a boon for Pittsburgh-area casinos

Once a year, Pam Watson, 72, flies from her home in Atlanta to try her luck at Pennsylvania casinos and visit her extended family in McCandless. 

Her first stop is always Rivers Casino Pittsburgh, where she enjoys its more than 2,900 slots, 100 table games and 30-table poker room. Ms. Watson was disappointed when, in March 2020 — on the day before she planned to travel to Pittsburgh — all casinos in the state closed because of COVID-19.This year, the state’s 14 casinos are open for business and local patrons seem happy to be back at the tables. Pennsylvania broke its record for gambling revenue, reporting nearly $3.9 billion in the fiscal year that ended on June 30. Figures from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board showed that every category of wagering showed growth in one of the nation’s largest casino and gambling states.Casinos bounced back after pandemic-related shutdowns led to a significant decrease in revenue during the last fiscal year. The businesses were required to close in March 2020 for about 100 days and then again in December for about three weeks.“I had a cigarette, had a drink, had a good lunch and had a few too many martinis,” Ms. Watson said cheerily outside the North Shore casino on Tuesday. “I really enjoy the casino here.”Gambling revenue also improved because two new casinos opened in the state — Live! Casino Philadelphia and Live! Casino Pittsburgh. Sean Sullivan, the general manager of Live! Casino Pittsburgh, which is in Greensburg, said the revenue high is “fabulous news,” especially when considering the pandemic forced them to shut down less than a month after it opened in November.“I think it will get stronger and stronger,” Mr. Sullivan said. “I think July is going to be a very strong month for the state and will continue to grow.”Mr. Sullivan also noticed a trend at his casino that is happening statewide — a rapid increase in online casino gambling and sports betting. Live! Casino Pittsburgh partners with FanDuel for sports betting.“We’ve seen new revenue because sports betting wasn’t allowed previously, but that is an additional injection of entertainment into our business,” Mr. Sullivan said. “During COVID, when people were staying safe at home, that’s when online and sports betting saw surges. Some people weren’t comfortable going out so they bet online.”It's these newer forms of gambling that drove the state’s record revenue highs. Online casino gambling grew to nearly $900 million, in just its second year, while sports betting grew to $309 million in just its third year. Pennsylvania legalized both as part of an aggressive gambling expansion in 2017.While revenue was up statewide for slot machines and table games, it's lower than record highs in previous years.At Rivers Casino, for example, sports wagering revenue increased more than 58% this year, while slot machine revenue decreased more than 13%, and table game revenue decreased by around 3%.Representatives from Rivers Casino declined to comment on the fluctuations.The Meadows Casino in Washington, Pa., saw similar revenue swings. Sports wagering increased by a staggering 401%, but slot machine revenue decreased almost 8% and table game revenue decreased by about 2%. For patrons who don’t bet online, in-person gambling is a welcome return.Kathy Taylor, 76, and Sandy McGranahan, 78, traveled together on a bus from Jamestown, Pa., to Rivers Casino. It was their first time back since the pandemic started.“My pockets are empty. We’re broke,” Ms. Taylor joked, saying she tried just about every game in the casino. Her husband, she remarked, was still inside. He had some money left.“We’re having a good day,” Ms. McGranahan added.Mr. Sullivan, of Live! Casino, agreed that while he likes online betting, there’s something special about in-person casinos. He said more people are coming back to the brick-and-mortar business every week.“I love online gaming, but I’ve been doing this for over 40 years, and it’s more than just the entertainment of playing slots and table games,” he said. “It’s the social side to it. We see people come down that have friends, that made friends at Live! It was scary for a lot of our guests to be unable to visit with their friends and neighbors.”To protect guests, local casinos have put in place a number of safety protocols.Rivers Casino upgraded its HVAC system and closed its buffet, according to its website. Mr. Sullivan said Live! Pittsburgh also has a new HVAC system, brought in a new cleaning team and requires masks for unvaccinated guests, among other measures.Ms. Watson was prepared for her visit — she got her vaccine and was excited to not have to wear a mask. But mostly, she’s excited that her annual trip was back on, even though she lost a bit of money.“I lost more than I won, but I still had fun,” she said. “You don’t come here to win money, you come here for enjoyment.”The Associated Press contributed.