Pennsylvania gaming revenue exceeds the half-billion dollar mark in March

HARRISBURG — For the first time since legalized gambling began in 2006, monthly revenue for Pennsylvania’s gaming revenue has topped the half-billion dollar mark.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported Tuesday that the combined total revenue generated from all forms of gaming in the state, along with fantasy contests, totaled $515.3 million during March 2023. That is an increase of 11.35% compared with revenue generated in March 2022.

Casino games offered online generated gross revenue of $148.2 million during March 2023 compared with $118.2 million in March 2022, an increase of 25.46%. Monthly revenue records were set for slots, table games and overall iGaming revenue, according to the board.

Total tax revenue generated through all forms of gaming and fantasy contests for the month was $212.4 million.

Wyomissing-based Penn National Gaming Inc. had the most profitable facility in the state during March. The Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County saw total revenue of $80.9 million, an increase of 27.02% over March 2022. That figure is about $12.4 million more than Valley Forge Casino in Upper Merion Township, which had $68.5 million in revenue in March.

Hollywood Casino at Penn National saw most of its revenue generated from internet gaming, accounting for $62.3 million. Slot machines accounted for $13.9 million, and table games were $2.6 million.

Hollywood Casino York, which opened in August 2021, had revenue of $9.4 million in March, with $7.1 million generated from slots.

The Hollywood Casino in Morgantown, which opened in December 2021, had total revenue in March of $9.5 million, with $5.4 million generated from slots.

Among other regional casinos:

• Valley Forge Casino had total revenue of $68.5 million, with slots generating $9.9 million, $2.9 million from table games and $31.8 million from internet gaming.

• Rivers Casino Philadelphia had total revenue of $53.5 million, with internet gaming generating $30.5 million, $13.1 million from slots and $8.2 million from table games.

• Live! Casino Philadelphia reported $26.5 million in total revenue for March, with $13.1 million generated by slots, $9 million from table games and $4 million from internet gaming.

• Harrah’s Philadelphia, Chester reported $20 million in total revenue, with $11.4 million from slots, $2.5 million from table games and $4.3 million from internet gaming.

• Video Gaming Terminal revenue was $3.8 million, with $2.2 million going to Penn National-owned Marquee by Penn.

Six casinos showed decreases from a year ago.

Parx Casino in Bensalem had revenue for the month of $60.4 million, down 0.04% from March 2022; Wind Creek Bethlehem had revenue of $47.2 million, down 0.13% from a year ago; Rivers Casino Pittsburgh had revenue for March of $35.5 million, down 0.14% from a year ago; Mohegan Pennsylvania had revenue for the month of $21.3 million, down 4.25% from March 2022; Presque Isle Downs and Casino had March revenue of $9.1 million, down 20.67% over the year; and Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin had revenue for the month of $1.6 million, down 21.12% over the year.

Sources of gaming revenue regulated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board include slot machines, table games, internet gaming, sports wagering, fantasy contests and VGTs at qualified truck stops, as well as regulation of online fantasy sports contests.

The land-based casino industry in Pennsylvania consists of six racetrack (Category 1) casinos, five stand-alone (Category 2) casinos, two resort (Category 3) casinos and four mini-casinos (Category 4), according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

Casinos and the other types of board-regulated gaming generated more than $2 billion in tax revenue in 2022.