Pennsylvania’s gaming industry generated $477.2 million in total revenue in February 2025, marking a 4.3 percent decline year-on-year, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). The drop was primarily due to weaker performance in retail slot machines and table games, as well as a sharp decline in taxable sports betting revenue.
Retail casino revenue drops
Retail casinos struggled in February, with slot machine revenue falling 8.1 percent to $186.3 million and table game revenue declining 7.2 percent to $71.2 million. The decline in slot revenue was linked to a decrease in the number of operational machines, down to 24,404 from 24,886 in February 2024.
Among casinos, Parx Casino led retail slot revenue with $28.9 million (down 2.7 percent), followed by Wind Creek Bethlehem ($20.5 million, down 15.3 percent) and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh ($20.4 million, down 6.5 percent).
iGaming continues strong growth
Online gaming remained a bright spot, generating $207.6 million, a 12.3 percent increase year-on-year. Hollywood Casino at Penn National was the top performer with $77.6 million (up 0.5 percent), followed by Valley Forge Casino Resort ($56.6 million, up 26.5 percent) and Rivers Casino Philadelphia ($34.2 million, up 17 percent).
Sports betting handle up, but revenue plunges
Sports betting saw a mixed performance. The total handle rose 14.4 percent to $756.9 million, indicating sustained interest from bettors. However, taxable sports betting revenue dropped 75.3 percent to $7.5 million, with analysts attributing the decline to a high number of winning bets, possibly influenced by the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory.
Valley Forge Casino Resort, which hosts FanDuel’s retail sportsbook, led the market with $13.7 million in revenue from a $284.5 million handle. However, only six Pennsylvania casinos turned a profit from sports betting, while 11 reported losses.
Leading casinos and state tax contributions
Hollywood Casino at Penn National remained the top revenue-generating property, earning $89.5 million (down 2.9 percent). Valley Forge Casino Resort followed with $81.4 million (up 9.9 percent), while Rivers Casino Philadelphia ($51.2 million, up 5 percent) slightly outperformed Parx Casino ($49.9 million, down 2.7 percent).
Pennsylvania gaming operators contributed $202.5 million in state taxes in February, including:
- $94.2 million from retail slots
- $91.8 million from iGaming
- $11.9 million from table games
- $2.7 million from sports betting
Market trends and future outlook
The February decline follows a strong January, when total gaming revenue hit $529.1 million, up 10.9 percent year-on-year. However, sports betting revenue had already shown signs of weakness, falling 26.4 percent to $51.5 million in January.
As iGaming continues to expand, traditional casinos may face challenges in attracting players. Operators are likely to increase sports betting promotions and invest in digital gaming to offset declines in retail casino revenue.
With total year-to-date gaming revenue nearing $1 billion, Pennsylvania remains one of the largest regulated gaming markets in the US. However, shifting consumer preferences and market competition will require operators to adapt their strategies for long-term growth.
