Pennsylvania casinos await legal sports betting as tables tank

Pennsylvania’s casino operators posted a modest gaming revenue decline in April as action at their gaming tables grew cold.

Figures released this month by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board show the state’s 12 casino operators reported combined gaming revenue of $280.8m in April, down 1.56% from the same month last year. The total is also well off March’s record $300.5m result.

The state’s slot machines did their part to keep the numbers up, with statewide slots revenue inching up 0.2% year-on-year to just under $206.2m. But only four operators were in positive slots territory for the month, led by market leader Parx Casino, which improved 6% to $35.6m, while runner-up Sands Bethlehem dipped 1% to $26.1m.

Statewide gaming table revenue was off 6.2% to $74.6m. Sands led the table charts with just under $17.6m, but this was down nearly one-fifth from April 2017, and barely enough to fend off a surging Parx, which gained 7.1% to $16.5m. Third-ranked SugarHouse was well back of the pace with $10.2m (-1.8%).