Gambling revenue in Pennsylvania reached a record $3.3bn (£2.6bn/€2.9bn) in the 2018-19 fiscal year, as the US state was boosted by additional income from regulated sports wagering.
The figure for the 12 months to June 30, 2019 represents a 1.84% increase on the $3.25bn posted in the corresponding period last year. The state collected a total of $1.39bn in tax from gambling, up from $1.3bn in the previous year.
Slots were by far the main source of income for licensed casinos in Pennsylvania, with revenue amounting to a collective $2.37bn, slightly up from $2.35bn last year.
Table games followed with revenue of $885.6m, down by 1.08% on $895.3m last year – the first time the state has seen a year-on-year drop since table games were introduced in its casinos in 2010.
Meanwhile, legal sports betting, which launched in the state in November of last year, generated $21.7m in revenue in the period to June 30. This was primarily derived from land-based activities, with online wagering having not launched until May this year.
In addition, fantasy sports revenue amounted to $23.6m in the 12-month period, up 56.4% on $1.0m last year.
The yearly sports wagering result was boosted by a record performance by the market in June, partly due to the roll-out of legal online sports betting in May. Licensed operators posted collective revenue of $3.1m for June – the highest figure since legal sports wagering launched last year.
Operators processed a total of $46.3m in bets last month, representing another record for the state, as internet betting helped push its handle past the previous high of $44.5m in March. For the period to June 30, 2019, Pennsylvania’s sports betting handle amounted to $244.7m.
Retail sports betting revenue stood at $1.7m in June, the lowest monthly figure since the first month of legal wagering in November last year, with retail handle also slipping to a year-low of $27.0m.
However, online betting generated $1.4m in revenue, pushing the monthly total to a new record. Punters spent a total of $19.3m on licensed internet platforms last month.
SugarHouse Casino retained its position as the market leader in Pennsylvania’s sports betting sector, with more than half of the money wagered in June spent via its casino or internet platform ($23.3m).