The PCGB has recently announced that its iGaming revenue for the month of September has risen while its land-based casino revenue has slowed down slightly in the same month. Its GGR for online gaming came up to over $174 million, a 11% increase from last year, while its in-person revenue experienced a decline of 1.7% amounting to $270.4 million. Still, growth in the overall sector remained positive, thanks to online gaming revenue.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has just released its September 2024 report, revealing a year-over-year decline in brick-and-mortar casino revenue. The report shows that while traditional in-person gambling at the state's casinos slowed down, both mobile sports betting and online gaming soared, helping offset the losses.

Decline in retail casino revenue

Gross gaming revenue produced by retail slots in Pennsylvania reached just under $197 million in September of 2024, reflecting a 1.5% decrease compared to the same month in 2023. Similarly, table games saw a 2.3% drop, bringing in $73.4 million.

In total, the in-person revenue from Pennsylvania's 17 land-based casinos amounted to $270.4 million, marking a 1.7% year-over-year decline. This represents a loss of approximately $4.7 million compared to the figures from September 2023.

The PGCB's report comes shortly after New Jersey's gaming authority revealed similar trends, with a drop in revenue from Atlantic City's nine casinos. Industry experts note that September 2023 had an extra Friday and Saturday - traditionally the busiest days for casinos - which made September 2024 a difficult comparable month for casinos.

Online gaming and sports betting make up for losses

While Pennsylvania's brick-and-mortar casinos experienced a dip, the state's iGaming and mobile sports wagering markets surged, easily offsetting the losses from in-person gambling.

Gross gaming revenue from table games - which excluded poker - and online slots and soared to $174.5 million in September, an 11% increase from the same period last year. The rise of internet slots was the primary driver of this growth, contributing significantly to the $17.4 million increase.

Meanwhile, sports betting, primarily conducted online through websites and mobile wagering apps, experienced even more substantial growth. Revenue from sports betting reached $53.5 million, a staggering 46% year-over-year surge. The start of the NFL season played a key role in this increase, with odds favoring sportsbooks, which bolstered income during the month.

Other sources of gaming revenue also contributed positively to the state's overall gaming picture. Slot-like video gaming terminals located at truck stops generated around $3.4 million in revenue, marking a 3.6% increase compared to September 2023.

However, not all areas of gaming saw growth. Online poker rake brought in $2.2 million, a sharp drop of 7% from last year, and fantasy sports fell by nearly 5%, totaling $1.9 million.

Overall, Pennsylvania's gaming industry still reported strong growth, with total revenue reaching $505.87 million in September of 2024, a 6.2% year-over-year increase.

Parx Casino maintains leadership

Parx Casino just outside Philadelphia in Bensalem continues to dominate Pennsylvania's brick-and-mortar gaming sector. As one of only two smoke-free casinos in the state - along with Parx Casino Shippensburg, its satellite property - Parx has maintained its leadership position, benefiting from its tobacco-free environment, which has attracted health-conscious players.

In September of 2024, Parx led the state's 17 retail properties in slot revenue, pulling in $30.2 million. Wind Creek Bethlehem, the next highest-performing casino, brought in $24.2 million. In table game revenue, Wind Creek ranked first, with nearly $18 million, followed by Parx, which earned $15.5 million.

Penn Entertainment and FanDuel lead the online market

Pennsylvania's iGaming market is led by Penn Entertainment online, which brought in $47.2 million in gross gaming revenue. Penn's success is largely attributed to its Hollywood Casino brand, which operates iGaming and is integrated with the ESPN Bet online sportsbook.

FanDuel, which partners with Valley Forge Casino Resort, ranked second in the iGaming space, generating $33.7 million in gross gaming revenue.

In the sports betting arena, FanDuel Sportsbook took the top spot, generating $27.3 million in revenue, with more than $26.6 million of that coming from its online operations. Hollywood and ESPN Bet followed, with combined mobile sports betting and retail revenue of $18.8 million.