‘Pennsylvania’s April Gaming Revenues at Record High as Casinos Re-Open’ (Photo by Steve Sawusch at Unsplash)
As casinos reopen on Memorial Day without restrictions, news has come in that Pennslyvania’s April gaming revenues has broken all records! Casinos in the state can now operate at 100% capacity, putting an end to a miserable 14 months of forced closures and heavy pandemic restrictions. This follows news that the state brought in record-high gaming revenues of €331m throughout April.
Compared to April 2020 when casinos were closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that is an incredible increase of 776.2%! That revenue also tops the previous record set in March this year while many commentators believe records will continue to be broken in the months to come. The Pennsylvania gaming sector is sparking back into life post-pandemic and this is great news for an industry that has suffered greatly for most of 2020.
As of May 19, 49% of Pennsylvania’s adult population is fully vaccinated. The state ranks 9th for first does vaccinations in the country.
A Closer Look at Pennsylvania’s April Gaming Revenues
A breakdown of the record gaming revenues in the state shows that slot machines were the biggest earners, bringing in a whopping €165 million. Table games featured at land-based casinos accounted for the second-best revenues of €63.8 million.
In the competitive Pennsylvania iGaming space, where leading live casino brand Evolution operates, there was a huge boost to revenues. Online video slots recorded an increase of 129.2% to €51.3 million compared to the same month last year. As for table games which include popular live dealer titles, revenue was up over 800% to €21.5million! Sports wagering, both online and offline combined, increased by 164% to €21.6 million.
Parx Casino proved the best of the brick and mortar casinos with combined slot and table game revenues of €45.8 million. That revenue was over 50% more than the next best casino, the Wind Creek in Bethlehem which recorded April revenues of €30.1 million.
Online revenues actually fell slightly compared to March, but this just shows the impact the April 4 reopening of brick and mortar casinos has had on the figures.
Casino Timeline During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had major ramifications for the Pennsylvania casino industry throughout 2020 and the start of 2021. Casinos were closed for a third of 2020 and once reopened, they had to endure strict restrictions such as reduced capacity and the banning of alcohol sales.
- March 12, 2020 – All casinos closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
- June 9, 2020 – Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and the Meadows Casino allowed to reopen under heavy restrictions.
- July 17, 2020 – Rivers Casino Philadelphia allowed to reopen under heavy restrictions.
- December 12, 2020 – An increase in COVID-19 cases leads to the ordered three-week closure of all Pennsylvania casinos.
- January 4, 2021 – Pennsylvania casinos reopened at 50% capacity. The sale of alcohol on gaming floors or at bars is banned.
- April 4, 2021 – Capacity at casinos increased to 75%. The sale of alcohol now allowed.
- May 19, 2021 – Casinos could expand to 100% capacity and there were no limitations on bar or restaurants.
Yesterday on Memorial Day, aside from ensuring all visitors wear face masks, all COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and the Pennsylvania casino industry could return to normal. For the 20,000+ casino employees, this news is a major relief.
Could May gaming revenues beat the records set in April? With all restrictions now lifted, you would have to say there is a very good chance!
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