Casino revenue down for February in Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA - March 18, 2013 -- Total monthly revenue from slot machines and table games declined last month for just the third time in Pennsylvania's casino gambling history, regulators said Monday.

Gross revenue from table games went down from $56.6 million in February 2012, a leap year, to $55.3 million last month, a decline of 2.1 percent, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

When added to slot machine revenue figures released earlier this month, that means total gross revenue from casino gambling was down 7.7 percent last month compared with the same period the year before.

That marks just the third time the combined revenues have declined, gaming board spokesman Richard McGarvey said. The other combined declines came in July 2006 (down 1.6 percent) and October 2012 (down 2.6 percent).

The state approved casinos in July 2004 and the first one opened with slot machines in November 2006; table games were added in 2010 and are now offered at all 11 casinos. The state's gambling industry has grown rapidly since, but is showing signs of leveling off. Pennsylvania is now also facing increased competition from new or added gambling in Maryland, New York, Ohio and Delaware.

Last month, gross revenue from table games declined at seven of the state's 11 casinos. Valley Forge Casino Resort, which opened in March 2012, generated $2.4 million in gross revenue from table games last month.

Presque Isle Downs Casino in Erie posted the biggest table games decline, down more than 45 percent from February 2012 to $1.3 million. It's facing competition from a new casino that opened across the state line in Cleveland in May.

The Meadows Racetrack & Casino in western Pennsylvania was down nearly 35 percent, to $1.9 million. Parx Casino in Bensalem, which is in the crowded Philadelphia market, was down 17 percent, to $8.2 million.

Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem continued to post big gains in eastern Pennsylvania. Its gross revenue from table games was up more than 12 percent last month to $12.1 million compared with the same period the year before. Table games revenue was also up slightly at both the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Earlier this month, the gambling board reported gross revenue from slots was down 9.2 percent in February, the third straight monthly decline in slots revenue.

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