The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has again reported new record monthly revenue totals for sports betting and online gambling in December, though the US state saw further declines in its land-based casino market.
Total revenue from gambling in the state for December fell 42.2% year-on-year to $168.7m (£123.2m/€139.1m), while this figure was also 40.5% lower than the $283.3m recorded in November of last year.
As has been the case for a number of months now, this decline was primarily due to ongoing struggles in land-based casino, which continues to face restrictions such as reduced capacity and temporary closures due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
In contrast, sports betting revenue almost tripled from $11.4m in December of 2019 to $34.1m in 2020. Online accounted for $32.9m in revenue, compared to $1.2m at retail sportsbooks.
Players also spent more on sports wagering than ever before, with the state’s handle reaching $548.6m, up 60.1% on December of 2019 and surpassing the previous monthly record set in October 2020.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National led the Pennsylvania sports betting market in December with $13.9m in revenue and a handle of $72.6m.
Valley Forge Casino Resort and its FanDuel sportsbook ranked second with $7.3m in revenue, but a higher handle of $209.2m, while the Meadows Casino placed third with $5.4m in revenue off a handle of $131.5m.
