Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board Reports Significant Slot Machine Revenue Growth In December

Slots play in 2011 produces $1.3 billion in tax revenue to the Commonwealth

HARRISBURG, PA: The amount of gross revenue generated in December 2011 through the play of slot machines at Commonwealth casinos was almost 14% higher than revenue produced the previous year, according to figures released today by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

According to a report posted today on the Board’s web site, www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov, the play of slot machines at the ten operating casinos produced $199,062,596 in gross revenue in December 2011. Compared to the $174,772,637 in gross revenue generated in December 2010, that is a 13.9% increase, even with fewer slot machines operating. The average combined number of slot machines operating daily was 26,418 in December 2011 compared to 26,907 in December 2010.

Based on the gross revenue numbers, tax generated by the Commonwealth last month was $108,342,971, a per-day average of $3.49 million in tax revenue. Pennsylvania taxes slot machine revenue at nearly 55%.

Gaming Control Board Executive Director Kevin O’Toole says good weather, an improving economy, and continued fine-tuning of marketing by the casinos likely fueled December’s revenue growth.

"Most gaming jurisdictions, including Pennsylvania, enjoyed good weather in December which made travel easier for patrons," O’Toole observes. "When you combine good weather with the marketing of a wider assortment of table game options not in place last December along with other amenities being offered at the casinos, factors were in place for a very good month."

The Board also reported that gross revenue for the 2011 calendar year of January through December was $2,405,867,897, or 5.8% higher than in calendar year 2010 when gross revenue totaled $2,273,934,190. This resulted in a generation of tax revenue in 2011 of $1,311,498,128.

PGCB Chairman William H. Ryan, Jr. says it was the fifth year in a row that Pennsylvania saw an increase in revenue from slot machine gaming and, with the popularity of table games and the expected addition of the first resort hotel casino in Valley Forge, tax revenue should continue to grow in 2012.

"These figures portray a healthy casino industry which is producing positive results that all Pennsylvanians are feeling in some manner," Ryan says.

Ryan says that in 2012, those benefits will include a fifth straight year of school property tax reduction for Pennsylvania homeowners.

"Additionally, municipal and county governments which host or may be near casinos will have access to tens of millions of dollars for local projects,” Ryan adds, “while a steady job market that currently is in excess of 15,000 positions could grow even larger."

Gross revenue and percentage change for each of the casinos operating is as follows:

Casino	December 2011	December 2010	% change
Parx Casino	$32,008,255.46	$28,706,384.66	11.50%
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem	$23,438,641.88	$20,724,560.05	13.10%
Rivers Casino	$22,805,310.61	$19,706,186.91	15.73%
Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack	$21,472,741.10	$20,737,086.14	3.55%
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course	$20,599,046.60	$18,487,318.66	11.42%
Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs	$20,049,139.18	$17,284,240.29	16.00%
The Meadows Racetrack and Casino	$19,470,663.40	$18,311,863.31	6.33%
SugarHouse Casino	$15,712,773.58	$9,631,250.72	63.14%
Presque Isle Downs and Casino	$12,776,933.25	$11,214,272.60	13.93%
Mount Airy Casino Resort	$10,729,091.04	$9,969,473.72	7.62%
Statewide Total	$199,062,596.10	$174,772,637.06	13.90%

About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board:
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board was established in 2004 with the passage of Act 71, also known as the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act. Pennsylvania’s first new state agency in nearly 40 years, the Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state’s casino industry. The ten casinos in operation all offer both slot machine and table game gambling, employ over 15,000 people, and collectively have generated $5.6 billion in tax and license fee revenue since the first casino opened in November 2006. A portion of that money is enabling property tax reduction for all Pennsylvania homeowners, providing needed funding to the Commonwealth’s horse racing industry, funding grants for fire companies and water/sewer projects, and establishing a new stream of tax revenue to local governments for community projects. A wealth of information about the Gaming Control Board and Pennsylvania’s gaming industry can be found at www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. At this website, visitors can view videos of Board meetings and on the operation of the PGCB, obtain information on identifying a gambling problem and gaining assistance, look up future meeting schedules and past meeting transcripts, access an interactive map of casino locations, request a speaker for their group, along with much more information.

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