Pennsylvania’s regulated online poker rooms saw revenue slip in September, but revenue from online casino gaming and sports betting surged to near-record highs, according to data from the state’s Gaming Control Board (PGCB).
Poker slid 8.5% to $2.9 million, down from $3.2 million in August. Still, it was the second-highest month for poker this year and the seventh-highest overall. It’s also important to note that five of those seven months were during the pandemic period and the sixth month was August.
PokerStars PA, which operates under the license of the Mount Airy Casino Resort, remained atop the field with $2 million in revenue, up from $1.9 million. It also clawed back some of the market share it lost in recent months following the entry of three competitors, holding 67% of the market in September, up from 60%.
Promotions, including opportunities to get into the WSOP Main Event, buoyed second-place operator WSOP PA in September. But its revenue slipped to $603k, down from $819k, and it shed market share, too, falling to 20.5%, down from 25.5%.
The two smallest poker rooms—BetMGM Poker PA and Borgata Poker PA, which operate under the licenses of the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and Rivers-Philadelphia, respectively—also lost revenue in September.
At BetMGM, poker revenue fell to $271k, down from $346k, while Borgata slid to $94k, down from $117k. Their market shares were 9.5% and 3%, respectively, down from 11% and 3.5%.
Online casino revenue hits $94.9 million
Online casino revenue in the Keystone State was up 11% in September, totaling $94.9 million. It was the third-highest month on record for the vertical and just $3.7 million off the record high of $98.6 million set in May 2021.
BetMGM Casino PA, DraftKings Casino PA and Penn National/Barstool, all of whom are partnered with Hollywood, saw their collective revenue increase to $38.4 million and market share grow to 40.5%. Rivers and its partners—BetRivers Casino PA, Borgata Casino PA and *PlaySugarHouse PA*—were second with $26.6 million in revenue and a 28% share of the market.
Valley Forge Casino and its online partners, FanDuel Casino and Stardust iCasino, had the third-highest revenue at $15.8 million. Their market share was 16.5%.
The seven smallest online casino operators in Pennsylvania—*Caesars Interactive Entertainment*, Live! Philadelphia, Mohegan Sun, Mount Airy, Parx Casino, Presque Isle and *Wind Creek*—combined for $14.1 million in revenue and 14.9% of the market, PGCB data show. By comparison, they generated about $14.3 million in revenue and collectively held more than 16% of the market in August.
Sportsbook revenue surges 86% to $40.9 million
The return of the NFL likely drove sportsbook revenue to an 86% increase in September, enabling it to reach $40.9 million just one month after mustering just $22 million in August. September was the fifth-highest month for sportsbook revenue.
Valley Forge and FanDuel Sportsbook bounced back from its worst month of 2021. After making just $5.7 million in sports betting revenue in August, the pair put up $21.2 million in September. They also grabbed 52% of the state’s online sports betting market, up from just 25.5% the month prior.
BetMGM Sportsbook PA, which operates on the Hollywood Casino Morgantown license, had $5.6 million in revenue and held a 13.5% market share. By comparison, they grossed $2.6 million and had an 11.5% stake in August.
Meadows Racetrack and Casino had $5.1 million in revenue in September, down from $8 million in August. Its market share fell to 12.5%, down from a whopping 36.3% just one month earlier.
The Meadows rebranded as the Hollywood Casino at The Meadows on October 15. Part of that rebranding involved opening a Barstool Sportsbook to handle retail sports betting. DraftKings will continue to serve as the casino’s online sportsbook.
