Pennsylvania Casinos Generate A Record $211 Million In Slots Revenue For July

The decision by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) to allow table games inside the previously slots-only casinos last month, has already starting paying dividends.
The state’s nine casinos posted a record $211.1 million in revenue from slots alone in July, almost 18% higher than the figure for the same period in 2009.
Commenting on the impressive figures, PGCB executive director Kevin O’Toole said:
“It is too early to gauge a trend, but Pennsylvania casinos have indicated they have experienced a significant increase in the number of visitors since table games were rolled out in mid-July.”
Without a doubt, though, the state’s star performers were the Sands Casino Resort, Harrah’s Chester Casino, and Parx in Bensalem, which accounted for 42% of July’s gross slots revenue.
Not including the 3,000 slots located at Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino, which only opened in August 2009, the remaining 8 casinos also saw on average a 5.3% increase in their slots revenue year-over-year.
With Pennsylvania levying a 55% tax on revenue derived from slot machines, this has all proven to be exceptionally good news for the  state’s coffers which received $116,079,631 in tax revenue, which works out to around $3.74 million each day.
Gov. Rendell, who was instrumental in the fight to legalized slots in the state, said of July’s figures:
“What has caused this explosion is that we’ve captured 90 percent of what has been leaving the state. One million Pennsylvanians have been gambling in other states, and we’ve captured that market.”
“We’re off the charts. We’re now getting more revenue from gambling than Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, and doing it during a recession. It’s stunning.”