Tax revenues from the 11 casinos in Pennsylvania jumped 10% in the last fiscal year. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released its 2011-2012 Annual Report which highlights the continued growth of licensed gaming iin the commonwealth between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012.
“Well we’ve seen, in many months, double digit growth, but certainly a pretty continual growth in both the slot machine revenue and the table game revenue over the last number of years and even this year when we start to face more competition,” said Doug Harbach, spokesperson for the Gaming Board.
The 11 casinos generated $1.5 billion in tax revenues in the last fiscal year. That's $140 million more than the previous year but there were only 10 casinos in FY2010-11.
According to Harbach, one of the reasons why there has been growth is that the casinos are offering more and more amenities "rather than just gaming; so I think they’ve become very attractive to day-trippers who want to participate in this kind of entertainment.”
Another key to success, said Harbach, is the location of the casinos.
“Pennsylvania has an interesting market for gaming because the casinos, rather than grouped together like in Atlantic City in one place, they are scattered throughout the state which makes them somewhat casinos of convenience. That means that the population bases in Pennsylvania can normally drive rather easily to these casinos.”
Harbach says that the Board wants to be as transparent and open to the public as they can.
“That means that we want to provide all of the revenue numbers for all of the casinos on a monthly and weekly basis. So that the public, who we represent, know exactly what type of revenue and then tax revenue that’s being generated from these facilities,” Harbach said.
While tax revenues grew so to did the casinos' workforce: 16,406 in FY2011-12 compared to 15,064 the previous year.
More casinos are coming in the future. A final Category 3/resort casino is expected to open at Nemacolin Woodlands in Farmington, Fayette County in 2013. In addition there is still one license apiece available for a Category 1 (stand alone casino) and a Category 2 (racetrack/casino).
"We still have some growth, in not only revenue, in the number of jobs in the casino industry in Pennsylvania over the next number of years," Harbach said.
