Pennsylvania casinos set new revenue record, no thanks to slots

Pennsylvania casinos set yet another gaming revenue record in 2017 despite the second straight year of declining slots revenue.

Figures released Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board show the state’s 12 brick-and-mortar casino licensees generated combined gaming revenue of $3.226b in 2017, up a mere 0.4% from 2016’s total of $3.213b, which was up 1.25% from 2015’s $3.173b.

While the margin may have been miniscule, the 2017 total marks the third straight year the figure has grown, and the seventh straight year that total revenue has exceeded $3b. The state’s share of this bounty amounted to $1.33b, thanks to its nation-high slots tax rate of 56%.

The state’s slots revenue closed out 2017 on a positive note, rising 1.2% in the month of December, but the annual total came in at $2.336b, representing a 1% decline from 2016, which also experienced a mild year-on-year slots shortfall.