Gambling revenue at Pennsylvania casinos totaled $271,006,339 in September, according to data posted by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). The figure represents a healthy 3.86% bump in earnings compared with the same time period last year.
Even more significant, September marked the first time in a year that the industry saw a plus sign next to the year-on-year slot revenue column.
Slots back on the rise
The state’s 12 casinos took in $195,396,966 in total slot revenue, reversing an 11 month trend of year-over-year slot decreases. The last such slot increase came back in September of 2016, when PA casinos took in just over $192 million.
Parx Casino was the top earner at the machines, raking in $32,393,680, with Sands a rather distant second at $24,818,352. Rivers Casino took the third spot with $22,535,899, while Nemacolin sat at the low end with $2,552,180.
Total table game revenue amounted to $75,609,373, a healthy 9.92% year-over-year increase. Sands topped the earnings list by far with $22,688,379, while Parx came in well behind at $15,054,201. The Meadows Casino took the biggest hit at the tables, banking over $1 million less than it did the previous month.
Sands was also the big winner in terms of total revenue, raking in $47,506,731, a 5.38% increase compared with its August numbers. Parx took the second spot with a total of $47,447,881, despite experiencing a 1.32% month-over-month decrease. September was the first time since July 2016 that Parx conceded the top spot to Sands.
The third spot belonged to Rivers, which experienced a 2% month-over-month gain. The Meadows and Valley Forge saw the biggest month-over-month drops, with total revenues sliding by over 5% each.
Parx on top for 2017
Parx is still the biggest money earner of 2017, boasting a total of $429,153,211 in slot and table game revenues. Sands is a close second, with around $17 million less, with The Rivers coming in a distant third with $252,864,318.
Keystone State gaming regulators took a $108 million slice of gross revenues for all of September play. Total gaming revenue in 2017 for the entire PA casino industry now exceeds $2.44 billion.
This time last year, the industry was sitting on a nearly identical total, suggesting that the overall decrease in slot volume has been offset entirely by an increase in table game play. How this will be impacted should the table game tax rate be increased from 16% to 20% — an idea currently being floated by the Pennsylvania legislature, along with other gaming expansion provisions — remains to be seen.
2/ We reported last week that senior #PA pols were considering whether to raise land-based table games tax rate from 16% to 20%.
— Chris Krafcik (@CKrafcik) September 28, 2017
Total September 2017 revenue
| Casino | Slots | Table Games | Total Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohegan Sun | $16,745,266 | $4,020,761 | $20,766,027 |
| Parx | $32,393,680 | $15,054,201 | $47,447,881 |
| Harrah's | $16,390,263 | $5,171,350 | $21,561,613 |
| Presque Isle | $9,966,286 | $1,167,811 | $11,134,097 |
| Meadows | $17,702,778 | $2,465,264 | $20,168,042 |
| Mount Airy | $13,444,724 | $3,868,690 | $17,313,414 |
| Penn National | $17,458,499 | $2,853,499 | $20,311,998 |
| Sands Bethlehem | $24,818,352 | $22,688,379 | $47,506,731 |
| The Rivers | $22,535,899 | $5,742,241 | $28,278,140 |
| SugarHouse | $14,646,981 | $9,408,164 | $24,055,145 |
| Valley Forge | $6,742,058 | $2,717,830 | $9,459,888 |
| Nemacolin | $2,552,180 | $451,183 | $3,003,363 |
| September Totals | $195,396,966 | $75,609,373 | $271,006,339 |
Total 2017 revenue
| Casino | Slots | Table Games | Total Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohegan Sun | $156,115,281 | $32,442,423 | $188,557,704 |
| Parx | $293,735,335 | $135,417,876 | $429,153,211 |
| Harrah's | $151,001,851 | $49,715,886 | $200,717,737 |
| Presque Isle | $85,518,054 | $11,626,046 | $97,144,101 |
| Meadows | $163,976,851 | $26,720,597 | $190,697,448 |
| Mount Airy | $113,161,762 | $37,927,410 | $151,089,173 |
| Penn National | $159,777,901 | $27,287,363 | $187,065,265 |
| Sands Bethlehem | $229,409,382 | $182,794,394 | $412,203,776 |
| The Rivers | $204,467,465 | $48,396,853 | $252,864,318 |
| SugarHouse | $135,022,677 | $89,188,122 | $224,210,799 |
| Valley Forge | $62,298,352 | $25,291,245 | $87,589,597 |
| Nemacolin | $23,256,463 | $3,397,226 | $26,653,689 |
| 2017 Totals | $1,777,741,375 | $670,205,442 | $2,447,946,817 |
