Gaming Control Board Reports Total Gaming Revenue For February

HARRISBURG, PA:  Circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have caused the closure of many casinos, including those in Pennsylvania.

However, recognizing that many people gather casino revenue statistics in order to analyze the industry, the Gaming Control Board is providing a summary of total gaming and fantasy contests revenue generated in the Commonwealth during February 2020.  

During February 2020 total gaming and fantasy contests revenue was $304,349,740 which represents a 13.75% increase over revenue generated in February 2019.

Sources of gaming revenue regulated by the Board include slot machines, table games, internet gaming, retail and internet sports wagering, fantasy contests and video gaming terminals. The Board has posted separate reports for these types of gaming on its website.

The following chart compiles all revenue generated in February 2020 by casinos along with fantasy contests and video gaming terminals operated by other vendors, and includes a comparison to total revenue generated last February:

Total tax revenue generated collectively through all forms of gaming and fantasy contests was $124,915,295* during February of 2020.

Slot Machine Revenue

February’s gross revenue from slot machines at the 12 casinos was $199,666,274, a 5.1% increase in revenue when compared to the $189,976,152 generated in February 2019.

The average number of slot machines operating on a daily basis was 24,122 during February 2020 compared to 25,277 at the casinos in February 2019. 

Gross slot machine revenue for each of the casinos, with the percentage change reflected over the previous year, is as follows: 

Tax revenue from the play of slots machines in February of this year was $103,042,963*.

Table Games Revenue

Table games revenue for February 2020 was $77,426,025, an increase of 4.6% over February of last year when revenue was $73,999,311.

Gross table games revenue for each of the casinos, with the percentage change reflected over the previous year, is as follows:

Total tax revenue from table games play during February was $12,441,810* with an average of 1,274 tables in daily operation statewide.

Internet Casino-Type Gaming Revenue

Casino games offered online generated gross revenue of $19,490,815 during February. That figure is 39.6% higher than the previous month of January 2020 when revenue was $13,957,539.

A breakdown of revenue of casino games offered online is as follows:

Tax revenue generated from internet gaming play during February was $6,777,338*.

Sports Wagering Revenue

February 2020 total sports wagering handle from 12 retail and 8 online outlets was $329,765,782, or 5.34% lower than January 2020 total of $348,381,708.   At the same time, the taxable revenue figure for February 2020 was $4,722,252 or 79.33% lower than January 2020 taxable revenue of $22,841,192.

February sports wagering total handle and a breakout of revenue by casino is as follows:

¹Operated by Parx Casino

² A breakout of the handle between retail and online sportsbooks can be found on the website report.

Tax revenue generated from sports wagering during February was $1,700,011*.

Video Gaming Terminals

Total adjusted revenue for February for video gaming terminals (VGTs) was $1,341,936 compared to $1,115,218 in January, an increase of 20%. Each of the establishments operated the maximum of 5 machines. By the close of February, two operators had placed VGT’s in a total of 25 truck stop establishments.

Truck Stop VGT adjusted revenue for each of the terminal operators during February is as follows:

¹ operated VGTs in 18 establishments during February

² operated VGTs in 7 establishments during February

Tax revenue collected from the play of VGTs in February was $697,806*.

Fantasy Contests

Fantasy Contests revenue was $1,702,439 in February 2020, an increase of 4.5% over February of last year when revenue was $1,629,178.

Fantasy Contests adjusted revenue for each of the operators which had revenue for February 2020 and February 2019 are displayed in the following table:

Tax revenue collected from the play of Fantasy Contests in February of this year was $255,366*.

*Tax revenue figures reflect amount generated prior to any adjustments by the PA Department of Revenue

About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of gambling legalized under 2004’s Race Horse Development and Gaming Act and the Gaming Expansion Act of 2017. In addition to slot machine and table games gambling at land-based casinos, the expansion includes online casino games available to date on seven sites; sports wagering offered through sportsbooks at 13 retail locations and through eight online outlets; video gaming terminals (VGTs) offered as of this date at 27 qualified truck stops; and, fantasy sports contests through eight providers.

The mature land-based casino industry in Pennsylvania currently consists of 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos in operation, along with the two smaller resort casinos.  These facilities collectively employ over 16,000 people and, along with other types of Board-regulated gaming, annually generate over $1.5 billion in tax revenue. Construction of a 13^th casino is currently underway along with a number of new “mini-casinos” that are expected to begin operation over the next couple of years.

Additional information about both the PGCB’s gaming regulatory efforts and Pennsylvania’s gaming industry can be found at https://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov . You can also follow the agency on Twitter by choosing @PAGamingControl.