In 2021, Pennsylvania once again proved that it has one of the most vibrant gambling markets in the United States. Despite all the setbacks that arose as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector managed to weather the storm well. Recent revenue reports from the state gaming regulator have affirmed that the gambling sector in the state still has a lot of potential.
However, it is worth noting that some of the gambling verticals have been dominating the revenue figures. Online gambling in particular makes the most revenue in the Keystone State according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s (PGCB) latest revenue reports. Here is a brief overview of the revenue figures for November 2021:
| Type of Gaming Revenue | Nov 2021 | Nov 2020 | % Change |
| Retail Slots Revenue | $185,481,243 | $129,530,805 | 43.19% |
| Retail Tables Revenue | $82,910,650 | $52,336,318 | 58.42% |
| Sports Wagering Revenue | $63,668,655 | $37,350,246 | 70.46% |
| iGaming Slot Revenue | $63,481,648 | $39,393,804 | 61.15% |
| iGaming Tables Revenue | $27,652,931 | $17,972,466 | 53.86% |
| Fantasy Contests Revenue | $3,358,090 | $3,015,062 | 11.38% |
| Video Gaming Terminals Revenue | $3,185,451 | $2,259,393 | 40.99% |
| iGaming Poker Revenue | $2,754,681 | $2,409,235 | 14.34% |
| Total Gaming Revenue | $432,493,349 | $284,267,329 | 52.14% |
Pennsylvania boasts several popular casino operations, all of which have been performing very well. Several records were broken and the same applies to the November revenue figures. As with previous months, online gambling led the pack. Retail gambling activities while still quite popular have not been able to compete at the same level.
The pandemic-induced closures of retail gambling destinations certainly contributed to this. There is some recovery and exemplary performance but it remains relatively slowly compared to the meteoric rise of the iGaming sector. This is not just limited to Pennsylvania but the rest of the United States as well.
What This Means for 2022
The gambling industry has been expanding rapidly over the past couple of years. Most of this growth has been in various forms of online gambling including online slots, poker, table games, and sports betting. Demand for these services and products is still very high which means there is a lot more growth to be expected. Unsurprisingly, even more operators are eyeing the possibility of venturing into the iGaming sector.
For the rest of the United States especially states that are yet to legalize online gambling, Pennsylvania has been a great benchmark. It has proven that with great controls and proper regulation, the gambling sector can be very profitable. Many states across the country are already moving towards making online gaming options available within their borders. In 2022, we can expect to see even more of this.