Pennsylvania casinos shatter record, generate $4.7 billion in revenues in 2021

Pennsylvania casinos in 2021 shattered year-over-year records, generating $4.7 billion in combined revenues, state regulators said.

Casinos saw $2 billion more last year compared to 2020 when $2.6 billion was collected from slot machines, table games, sports betting, iGaming, video gaming terminals and fantasy contests, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. That year, casinos were impacted by shutdowns and stay-at-home orders implemented during the covid-19 pandemic.

In 2021, $2.2 billion was generated from slot machines; $924.9 million from table games, $1.1 billion from internet gambling; $340.1 million from sports betting; $29.2 million from fantasy sports contests and $39.8 million from video gaming terminals, data show.

That led to $1.93 billion in tax revenues, officials said.

In addition to releasing data for 2021, state regulators also released December revenues.

Last month, the state’s casinos generated $406.3 million, a 141% increase from the same period last year.

Casinos saw $237.5 million more in revenues last month than in December 2020, when they generated $168.7 million, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Still, dollars generated last month were nearly $26 million less than those generated in November, when casinos saw $432.5 million in revenues, the highest monthly revenue total to date.

Of revenue generated last month, more than $164.9 million was collected in taxes.

Of the state’s 16 licensed casinos, Hollywood Casino at Penn National in Dauphin County saw the highest revenue total in December, bringing in about $58.8 million.

Locally, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh saw revenues total $31.9 million. Of that, slot machines brought in about $22.8 million, with $8.1 million generated from table games. In addition, $970,532 came from retail and online sports wagering, a significant decrease from November when the facility saw $3.3 million from sports bets.

Overall, Rivers saw $37.5 million wagered through sports betting last month.

Throughout the year, the facility generated $251.3 million from slot machines; $84.1 million from table games and $20 million from sports betting.

At Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington County, revenues in December totaled $20.4 million.

The facility brought in $13.4 million from slot machines, $2.4 million from table games and $4.5 million from retail and online sports wagering. Similar to Rivers Pittsburgh, Hollywood Casino at the Meadows saw a decrease in revenues from sports betting last month. In November, the facility brought in $12 million.

In all, $206.4 million was wagered through sports betting in December, officials said.

Over the course of 2021, the casino generated $153.4 million from slot machines; $29.9 million from table games and $68.3 million from sports betting.

Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin in Fayette County generated $1.8 million last month, $1.6 million of which came from slot machines and $164,341 from table games.

In 2021, the facility brought in $21.3 million from slot machines and $2.4 million from table games.

Live! Casino Pittsburgh, in Hempfield’s Westmoreland Mall, saw revenues of $9.5 million last month. Of that, $7.8 million came from slot machines, $1.5 million from table games and $107,588 from retail sports wagering. That’s compared to November when the casino saw $321,082 from sports betting.

The facility saw more than $1 million wagered on sports bets in December.

During 2021, Live! Casino generated $85 million from slot machines; $14.7 million from table games and $1.6 million from sports betting.

In casinos across the state last month, retail slot machine revenues totaled $195.4 million, and retail table games generated $83.3 million. In addition, $68.7 million was generated from online slot machines, $30.2 million came from online table games and $3 million from online poker.

Across the state last month, video gaming terminals generated $3.3 million, and fantasy contests brought in $3.1 million, data show.

Sports betting

Retail and online sports wagering generated $18.8 million in taxable revenue, a significant decrease from November when revenues reached $63.6 million. In Pennsylvania, the total amount wagered last month also decreased from $761.5 million in November to $750.3 million in December. That’s an $11.1 million change, data show.

Still, the state saw a record-shattering $127.6 million in online casino revenue last month, according to PlayPennsylvania, which tracks regulated online gaming and sports betting in the state. In addition, the state in 2021 saw $6.5 billion in sports wagers, $122.5 million in tax revenue from sports betting and almost $1.3 billion in online casino revenues.

“With so many records set this fall, a modest pullback in December is not a particular surprise,” said Katie Kohler, an PlayPennsylvania analyst. “Importantly, though, sportsbooks remained near all-time highs for wagering, extending a four-month stretch in which wagering reached nearly $3 million. It’s been a fitting end to an impressive year.”

Pennsylvania’s sports wagering numbers, however, are seemingly small compared to what was reported in New Jersey.

According to Play New Jersey, more than $1 billion were wagered through sports betting for the fourth consecutive month.

Online casinos in the state also shattered a revenue record, recording $133 million in December.

The website noted, however, the state’s status as the largest online sports betting market in the country could be in jeopardy with New York launching mobile sports betting this month.

“2021 will be remembered as the year that New Jersey was the unrivaled leader of the U.S. market, even if the status proves to be short-lived,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for PlayUSA.com. “New York will almost certainly assume the crown soon, while New Jersey will potentially slip behind Nevada and others in the coming year.”