Pennsylvania iGaming operators set a new revenue record in December, marking the second consecutive month of growth. However, sports betting revenue experienced a decline during the same period, driven by customer-friendly outcomes that affected the broader industry.
Pennsylvania’s gambling revenue totaled $533.1 million in December, a slight 0.2% decrease from the previous year and a 5.2% drop from November’s record $562.4 million.
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), iGaming emerged as the top-performing segment. Monthly iGaming revenue hit $223.6 million, a 35.5% year-on-year increase and 11.5% above November’s previous record.
Online slots led the way, generating $164.3 million in revenue, up 40.5% from December 2023. Internet table games saw a 24.2% increase, while online poker rose 2.9% to $2.5 million. Players wagered $4.28 billion on online slots and $3.01 billion on table games, though online poker spending was not disclosed.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National maintained its dominance in the iGaming sector, earning $86.4 million in December, a 41.8% year-on-year increase. Valley Forge Casino ranked second with $61.3 million, up 48.4%, while Rivers Casino Philadelphia secured third place with $35.2 million, a 12.4% rise.
Sports betting dips in Pennsylvania
Sports betting gross gaming revenue (GGR) in Pennsylvania dropped significantly in December, falling 69.9% year-on-year to $21.9 million. This also marked a steep 71.6% decline from November’s record $77.1 million.
The decline mirrors trends in other states like New Jersey and New York, where December results also fell due to customer-friendly outcomes that boosted player winnings at the expense of operators.
Online betting generated $21.6 million in revenue for the month, while retail sportsbooks contributed just $222,395.
The total betting handle for December reached $893.4 million, a 3.5% year-on-year decrease and 4.5% below November’s record of $935.5 million. Of this, $848.8 million came from online bets, with $44.6 million wagered at retail sportsbooks.
As a result, Pennsylvania’s state-wide hold rate for December was just 2.45%.
No stopping the FanDuel train
FanDuel, in partnership with Valley Forge Casino Resort, continued to dominate Pennsylvania's sports betting market in November. The duo generated $14.1 million in revenue from a $353.3 million handle, achieving a 3.99% hold.
DraftKings, teamed with Hollywood Casino at the Meadows, claimed second place, earning $7.3 million from $238.5 million in bets, resulting in a 3.06% hold.
ESPN Bet and Hollywood Casino York climbed to third, recording $782,109 in revenue from $45.5 million wagered, with a hold of 1.72%.
Parx Casino, along with Kambi, followed closely with $606,330 in revenue from a $17.3 million handle, delivering a 3.50% hold. Live Casino Philadelphia, another FanDuel partner, earned $302,458 from $6.7 million in wagers, achieving a 4.49% hold.
Despite typically being a top performer, BetMGM and its partner Hollywood Casino Morgantown reported a rare loss of $259,670 on $66.2 million in bets due to unfavorable sports outcomes, underscoring the month’s challenging results for operators.
What happened elsewhere in Pennsylvania?
The land-based casino sector in Pennsylvania faced declines in December. Revenue from physical slot machines fell by 2.7% to $202.1 million, while retail table games saw a 4.3% drop to $79.4 million.
Video gaming terminals (VLTs) also experienced a slight dip, with revenue down 0.9% year-on-year to $3.4 million. Conversely, fantasy sports reported a positive trend, with revenue increasing by 9.7% to $2.7 million.
In terms of tax contributions, the state collected $223.7 million in December. Retail slots accounted for the largest share at $102.2 million, followed by $13.2 million from table games. Igaming contributed $98.2 million, sports betting added $7.7 million, VLTs brought in $1.8 million, and fantasy sports generated $404,660.
