Pennsylvania gaming revenue surpasses AC's

For the first time in history, gambling revenues brought in by the state of Pennsylvania surpassed those by New Jersey last month. The latest gambling statistics released showed that the albeit miniscule advantage that Pennsylvania had over New Jersey last month pushed the state into the second largest gambling market in the country, behind Las Vegas.

It was reported that Atlantic City brought in us$ 245.1 million in November, while Pennsylvania saw its casinos rake in us$ 245.8 million. While the difference in numbers is not that great to be considered significant, it does point to a growing trend that Pennsylvania continues to grow as a gambling destination for players from that region, while New Jersey’s revenues are on the decline. Most importantly, Pennsylvanians are no longer traveling out their home state to engage in gambling activities in the same numbers as they did before table games were approved, and are now happy to stay put and spend their dollars at home casinos.

Table games at Pennsylvania’s ten casinos generated us$ 54 million in revenue in November, while its slot machines generated just under us$ 192 million. In contrast, revenue from slots in Atlantic City dropped 5%, while revenue from table games was down nearly 10% in November.

The growing presence of casinos and other gambling activities in the northeastern US in states such as New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut have impacted New Jersey’s revenues and while the state may still take second place overall in the size of gambling markets in the US for the year overall, it is believed that November’s figures were a taste of things to come and the state will be seeing this position threatened in the not too distant future.