Profits for Pennsylvania poker rooms continue to increase and the state is anticipating even more growth with passage of a gaming bill that is making its way through the Legislature.
The rake for the 225 poker tables at the 10 facilities for January was $4.93 million. For the same period last year, the amount was $4.78 million.
December to Remember
In December card rooms had a total of $5.02 million and for that month in 2015 the total was $4.93 million.
The total for 2016 was also more than the prior year, $58.6 million, approximately $1 million more than 2015.
The increases are minimal but are still tracking in a positive direction. But government officials would like to see more money coming in from gambling.
Bill Would Increase Gambling Revenue
A measure introduced by George Dunbar (R-56th District) and Rosita C. Youngblood (D-198th District) would attempt to get online gaming passed in the state.
Last year the House passed two pieces of legislation legalizing online gambling but it stalled both times in the Senate.
This year though, Governor Tom Wolf added $150 million more in gaming revenue to the budget, believing the two bodies will finally get the deal done.
But Senator Jay Costa (D-43rd District) told Poker News that the issue is far from certain. He also expressed concern at what President Trump’s newly appointed Attorney General, Jeff Sessions does in regards to online gambling.
He has expressed opposition to it in the past.
“Some want us to proceed rather quickly and some want us to take a more thoughtful approach to see what happens at the federal level,” Costa said. “We haven’t settled that conflict.”
Breakdown of January poker revenue by room:
The top performing casinos based on monthly revenue from poker, clearly shows that the poker room at the Parx Casino has a significant advantage in market share and is the leader in overall revenue by a wide margin over Sands Bethlehem Casinos’ competing poker room.
Parx: $1,455,766
Sands Bethlehem: $960,156
Sugar House: $648,709
The Rivers: $576,509
Harrah’s Philadelphia: $401,512
Penn National: $369,921
Mohegan Sun: $209,196
The Meadows: $161,640
Mount Airy: $88,900
Presque Isle: $66,509
