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Pa. gambling revenue dropped by 20% in 2020; online revenue jumped from $34M to $566M

HARRISBURG. (AP) - Beset by state-ordered closures during the pandemic, casinos and other gambling operators in Pennsylvania reported a drop in 2020’s revenues of more than one-fifth the previous year, even as their take from online gambling and sports betting skyrocketed.

Pennsylvania also dropped behind New Jersey in traditional casino gambling revenue in 2020, eight years after it passed New Jersey to become the nation’s No. 2 gambling revenue state behind Nevada.

Pennsylvania’s 13 operating casinos, fantasy sports operators and truck stops took in $2.65 billion in gross revenue in 2020, compared to $3.4 billion taken in by 12 casinos in 2019, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said. That was a drop of 22%.

Not including sports wagering, fantasy sports or truck stops, Pennsylvania’s casinos drew $2.4 billion, a drop of 26% from $3.3 billion.

Pennsylvania’s casinos racked up nearly 1,500 closure days, or 33% of the days the casinos would have operated normally, the gaming control board said.

Traditional land-based casino revenue nearly halved.

Slot-machine revenue fell by $1 billion to $1.3 billion, while table games revenue fell by $400 million to $500 million.

Mohegan Sun Pocono was closed 117 days, with a loss of 43% in slot revenue and 43% in table games.

Mount Airy Casino Resort was closed 116 days with a 28% loss in slots and 27% in table games.

Wind Creek Bethlehem was closed 122 days with a 47% loss and 56% loss in table games.

However, internet gambling shot up 17 times from $34 million in 2019 to $566 million, and sports betting more than doubled to almost $190 million.

In internet gambling, Mount Airy went from $2.2 million to $10.6 million, a jump of 372%.

Mohegan Sun Pocono gained 169%.

Casinos are open again in January, after being closed until Jan. 4, under the governor’s pandemic orders.