This marks an increase from $477.2 million in January 2024, though it represents a slight 0.8% decline from the $533.1 million generated in December.
Pennsylvania’s total gaming revenue reached $529.1 million (£417.8 million/€504.7 million) in January, according to figures published on 20 February by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. This marks an increase from $477.2 million in January 2024, though it represents a slight 0.8% decline from the $533.1 million generated in December.
Online Gambling Continues to Lead the Market
The standout performer was online gambling, with revenue climbing 40.5% year-on-year to $210.2 million. While this is a significant rise, it falls short of the record $223.6 million posted in December.
• Online slots were the primary driver, generating $158.6 million, a 44.2% increase from last year.
• Internet table games also grew, reaching $48.9 million, up 32.7%.
• Online poker, however, saw a slight decline, with revenue dipping 2.3% to $2.6 million.
Consumer spending remained high, with $4.23 billion wagered on online slots and $2.92 billion bet on table games. Online poker spending figures were not disclosed.
In terms of market leadership, Hollywood Casino at Penn National remained dominant, with $79.7 million in revenue, up 57.9% year-on-year. Valley Forge Casino followed in second place with $57.6 million, while Rivers Casino Philadelphia took third with $35.4 million.
Sports Betting Revenue Declines for Second Straight Month
The sports betting sector experienced a continued decline, with revenue falling 26.4% year-on-year to $51.5 million. This mirrors trends in other states, where customer-friendly sports results in January impacted operator margins.
• Online sports betting revenue reached $49.2 million, while retail sportsbooks contributed $2.3 million.
• Total betting handle for January was $873.1 million, up 1.8% year-on-year. This included $830.4 million wagered online and $42.8 million at retail sportsbooks.
• The state-wide hold was 5.90%.
Among operators, FanDuel and Valley Forge Casino Resort continued to lead, with $28.8 million in taxable revenue from $342.3 million in handle, resulting in an 8.41% hold. DraftKings and Hollywood Casino at the Meadows followed, generating $15.0 million from a $221.0 million handle, equating to a 6.79% hold.
BetMGM and Hollywood Casino Morgantown climbed to third place with $3.4 million in revenue from a $68.7 million handle, achieving a 4.95% hold. In contrast, ESPN Bet and Hollywood Casino York, which ranked third in December, reported a $1.8 million loss.
Land-Based Gaming Sees Steady Growth
Despite declines in sports betting, land-based gambling performed well in January:
• Slot machine revenue rose 4.6% to $187.8 million.
• Table games revenue saw a 1.5% increase to $73.7 million.
• Video gaming terminals (VGTs) revenue grew 4.5% to $3.2 million.
• Fantasy sports revenue also climbed 8.9% year-on-year to $2.7 million.
January Tax Contributions Reach $221.6M
Gaming taxes for the month totalled $221.6 million, with contributions from various sectors:
• iGaming: $93.9 million
• Sports betting: $51.5 million
• Land-based slots: $94.8 million
• Table games: $12.3 million
• The remainder came from VGTs and fantasy sports.
In other US iGaming news, the US commercial gaming industry has hit a new revenue milestone for the fourth consecutive year, with total earnings reaching $71.92 billion in 2024.