Pennsylvania Gaming Revenue Tops $415M in September

Posted on: October 20, 2021, 10:04h. 

Last updated on: October 20, 2021, 10:25h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Pennsylvania gaming revenue in September topped $400 million for the sixth time in the previous seven months. The monthly statistics reveal that the state gaming industry is alive and well, winning more from gamblers each month than it did prior to the pandemic.

Gross gaming revenue (GGR) from all sources totaled $415.6 million last month. That’s 46 percent better than September 2020, and 48 percent better than pre-pandemic September 2019. September 2021 was the state gaming industry’s all-time best September.

Retail slot revenue led the way in September 2021, the terminals winning more than $198.8 million. Brick-and-mortar table games tallied GGR of $84 million.

GGR from iGaming, both interactive slots and tables, totaled approximately $94.9 million. Online and retail sports betting operations kept $29.2 million of the wagers placed.

The revenue numbers across the board remain very healthy, as the industry continues to return to normal from the COVID-related measures that deteriorated some of the revenue,” explained Doug Harbach, communications director of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

September marked Pennsylvania’s second-best monthly gaming revenue performance. Only July 2021 saw more income from gaming. June ’21 was the only month since March that didn’t eclipse the $400 million threshold.

Pennsylvania 2021 GGR

• March — $403.1M
• April — $404.1M
• May — $413.1M
• June — $388.9M
• July — $423.6M
• August — $408M
• September — $415.6M

Retail, iGaming Integrate

Pennsylvania casinos continue to welcome back players to their land-based venues. And pent-up demand is fueling robust revenue.

In September, slot machines inside Pennsylvania’s 15 casinos won 26 percent more revenue than last September. GGR from table games grew 42 percent year-over-year.

Combined, retail win from slots and tables climbed nearly 36 percent. While in-person play is booming, so is internet gambling. The $94.9 million won online last month was 74 percent more than September 2020.

Pennsylvania’s other gaming verticals — video gaming terminals (VGTs) inside truck stops and daily fantasy sports (DFS) — also performed well in September 2021. GGR from VGTs climbed 43 percent year-over-year to $3.4 million. Daily fantasy sports revenue was flat from last year at $3.2 million.

Sports Betting Surge

Keystone State oddsmakers continue to see more action come their way, as the prevalence of sports betting further expands across the commonwealth.

Pennsylvania sportsbooks won $28.2 million last month, a staggering 350 percent surge on September 2020. September 2021 sportsbook revenue was a 57 percent gain on August.

The increase is partially a result of more bets being placed. Total handle swelled from $462.7 million in September 2020 to $578.7 million last month. But oddsmakers fared better, too.

The books reported a win rate of 4.9 percent in September on the nearly $579 million wagered. In September 2020, the house experienced a win rate of 3.9 percent.

Gaming Leaders

The gaming industries in Pennsylvania and New Jersey continue to battle for the title of the second richest gaming market in the United States, behind Nevada.

New Jersey prevailed in September 2021. Atlantic City casinos, plus iGaming and sports betting, won $453.6 million last month to easily best Pennsylvania.

Nevada has yet to release its September 2021 GGR numbers. The state reported total gaming revenue of $821.1 million in September 2020.