Pa. casino gaming revenue essentially flat compared to last year

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Pa. casino gaming revenue essentially flat compared to last year

Pennsylvania's casinos pulled in $3.1 billion in revenue for the 2012-13 fiscal year, a figure essentially flat compared to the previous year.

Players were placing bets on table games, such as blackjack and poker. Overall, revenue from table games at Pennsylvania casinos rose 7 percent over the previous fiscal year.

However, the gains in table games were largely offset by a drop in slot machine revenue. Slots gambling accounts for the bulk of casino gaming money.

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, the one casino in the Harrisburg area, saw declines in both table games and slots playing, according to figures released from state regulators.

Revenue from table games dropped about 2.7 percent over the past year at the Hollywood Casino in East Hanover Twp. Hollywood Casino also recorded a 4.9-percent drop in slots revenue for the fiscal year, according to gaming board figures.

Breaking down the numbers

Tuesday morning, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released year-end figures for table games - and overall gaming revenue - for the 2012-13 fiscal year.

Table games have been touted as a way to get younger and more affluent players into casinos, and it has been successful in that regard. Overall, table games revenue rose to $713 million in the 2012-13 fiscal year, an increase of about $50 million.

Earlier this month, the gaming control board reported that slots machine revenue in Pennsylvania declined nearly 2 percent in the past year. Casinos reported $2.4 billion in slots revenue, a drop of about $48 million statewide.

Overall, casinos registered $3.14 billion in revenue over the past fiscal year. Statewide, casino revenue showed a slender increase, about $1.3 million.

Pennsylvania casinos are facing more competition. Maryland opened its fourth casino in May, and a casino is slated to open in Baltimore next year.  

Declines at some casinos

Pennsylvania is operating 11 casinos. Seven of Pennsylvania's casinos saw declines in table games revenue in the 2012-13 fiscal year.

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course recorded $37.8 million in table games revenue, a drop of about $1 million. Hollywood's slots revenue fell to $238 million, a drop of $12 million.

Presque Isle Downs and Casino saw its table game revenue drop by nearly a third, falling to $14.9 million, down from $21.5 million the year before.

Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem is offering more tables for games, and revenue surged. The casino reported $165 million in table game revenue, an increase of $38 million.

Statewide, table games revenue rose 4.2 percent in June 2013, compared to June 2012.

(NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the statewide revenue figures related to table games, which increased over the past year.) 

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