Gambling in the USA

PlayPennsylvania.com: Sports betting, online casinos enjoy big July

Published

5 years ago

August 18, 2020

Pennsylvania’s sportsbook capitalized on the return of major sports to nearly double the handle from June to July, and the state’s online casinos built momentum as the Keystone State’s market continued to rebound in July, according to PlayPennsylvania analysts.

“The return of baseball and the NBA were seminal moments for Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks, obviously,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “There is no making up for what was lost during the shutdowns. But with online casinos sustaining incredible growth, major sports back in play, and retail casinos gradually reopening, the industry is thankfully moving forward.”

Retail and online sportsbooks generated $164.8 million in wagers in July, up 85.1% from $89 million in June, according to official data released Monday. July’s wagers were up 177.7% from $59.3 million in July 2019, when online gaming was still in its infancy in Pennsylvania.

Gross revenue also surged to $8.1 million, up 22.3% from $6.7 million in June and up 185.7% from $2.9 million in July 2019. July’s revenue produced $2.8 million in state taxes and another $162,950 in local share assessment. Sportsbooks have now produced $51.6 million in state taxes and local share assessments since launching in November 2018.

“Even just over a week of baseball and a few days of the NBA was enough to unleash pent-up demand for wagering on major sports,” Gouker said. “August should be a huge month, with NBA and NHL playoffs drawing bets that aren’t typical in the late summer. That should help Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks make up a little of the revenue lost this spring.”

Not surprisingly, bettors continued their overwhelming preference for online betting, accounting for 94.3%, or $155.4 million, of July’s handle. FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge Casino remains the market’s dominant player, collecting $68.8 million in online bets, more than doubling the $32.9 million in June wagers. July’s handle generated $1.4 million in taxable revenue, down from $2.9 million in June. FanDuel was followed by:

DraftKings at The Meadows ($39.1 million handle, up from $25 million; $1.8 million taxable revenue, up from $1.4 million)
Rivers-Philadelphia ($12.7 million handle, up from $9.4 million; $896,195 revenue, up from $594,862)
Fox Bet at Mount Airy ($11.9 million handle, up from $8.4 million; $965,052, up from $683,217)
Rivers-Pittsburgh ($10.4 million handle, up from $5.9 million; $711,445 revenue, up from $519,774)
Parx Casino ($9.1 million handle, up from $5.2 million; $822,701 revenue, up from $692,649)
Unibet at Mohegan Sun Pocono ($2.6 million handle, up from $1.1 million; $152,716 revenue, up from $14,490)
Presque Isle Downs ($422,638 handle, up from $229,711; $31,917 revenue, up from $16,519)
Harrah’s ($249,584 handle, up from $132,659; $24,839 revenue, up from -$17,112)

Retail sports betting remained relatively slow in July, generating $9.4 million in bets, which was up significantly from $689,534 in June. Sportsbooks won $1.3 million on those bets after losing $99,270 in June. Parx Casino overtook the market lead with $2.2 million in July wagers, beating out Rivers-Pittsburgh’s $1.6 million handle. But Rivers-Philadelphia topped gross revenue with $303,571.

“The key for sports betting going forward is obviously the health of the various major sports leagues in the U.S.,” said Valerie Cross, analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “We saw with the Phillies that the pandemic can abruptly alter the sporting landscape. And with college football in jeopardy this fall, and the NFL still working through its plans, the fall remains quite uncertain.”

Online casinos and poker

The momentum of online casinos games and poker continued in July, even with retail casinos open. Online gambling generated $54.4 million in gross operator revenue, or $1.8 million per day in the 31 days of July. That was up from $50.1 million in June, or $1.7 million per day, in the 30 days in June. July’s revenue generated $15.5 million in state taxes.

Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Online table games and slots produced $1.8 billion in wagers, up from $1.7 billion in June, resulting in $51.4 million in revenue. Mount Airy/PokerStars, the lone poker operator in the state, generated $3 million on poker, down from $3.2 million in June.

And more online casinos are on the way. Wind Creek Bethlehem and PlayLive! Casino — which has yet to build its planned Philadelphia casino — launched online casinos in August.

“The pandemic has accelerated the maturity of Pennsylvania’s online gaming market dramatically,” Cross said. “By comparison, it took New Jersey more than six years to top $50 million of online gambling revenue in a month. Pennsylvania managed to do it in less than a year. That growth has been vital to the stability of Pennsylvania’s gaming industry.”

Other highlights from June:

Rivers-Philadelphia led the online casino market with $15.4 million in revenue on $612.1 million in wagers, up from $15 million in revenue on $567.3 million in wagers in June.
DraftKings/Penn National generated $10.8 million in revenue on $339.9 million in wagers, up from $9.6 million in revenue and $302.7 million in wagers.
FanDuel/Valley Forge collected $8.4 million in online revenue on $346.4 million in wagers, up from $7.8 million in revenue on $286.6 million in bets

For more information on the revenue generated by Pennsylvania, visit www.playpennsylvania.com/revenue.

About the PlayUSA.com Network:
The PlayUSA.com Network is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the United States. With a presence in over a dozen states, PlayUSA.com and its state-focused branches produce daily original reporting, publish in-depth research, and offer player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online gaming options for consumers. Based in Las Vegas, the PlayUSA Network is independently owned and operated, with no affiliations to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.

Up Next

Detroit casinos’ year-to-date aggregate revenue falls 65 percent through July

Don't Miss

BMM Testlabs to host virtual NTGCR Regulator Academy

Gambling in the USA

Aristocrat Interactive™ to Showcase Innovative iLottery Solutions at NASPL 2025 Annual Conference & Trade Show

Published

14 hours ago

September 4, 2025

Peter Tolan

Aristocrat Interactive Secures Landmark iLottery Contract with the Michigan Lottery

Aristocrat Interactive™, the Real Money Gaming (RMG) division of Aristocrat, today announced its participation as a Level II Sponsor at the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) 2025 Annual Conference & Trade Show.

NASPL, the leading trade association representing 53 lottery organizations across North America, serves as a platform for collaboration, research, standards, and best practices that drive the future of the industry. Taking place September 8–11, 2025 at the Niagara Falls Convention Center in Ontario, Canada, the event, themed “Here to Play”, will gather lottery leaders from across North America to explore the evolving future of the industry.

Aristocrat Interactive will be showcasing its latest innovations for the iLottery sector through an interactive booth setup, one-on-one director’s dialogue sessions, a product and services showcase, and more. Attendees will get a first look at new eInstant titles, featuring fresh game mechanics and the business’s first cross-over game with its iGaming & Sports division. Aristocrat Interactive will also highlight its successful omnichannel solutions, which connect retail and online play to enhance player engagement and experience.

Building on this momentum, Aristocrat Interactive recently launched the New Hampshire Lottery’s new digital platform, signed long-term contracts with the Michigan Lottery and the Massachusetts Lottery, and secured a two-year extension with its NeoPollard Joint Venture in North Carolina—where Aristocrat Interactive provides the iLottery platform. These partnerships underscore Aristocrat Interactive’s commitment to helping lotteries deliver engaging digital experiences and sustainable growth.

“NASPL always sets the table for engaging discussions that can advance our customer-driven strategies to drive real digital growth for lotteries,” said Chris Shaban, Managing Director, iLottery at Aristocrat Interactive. “We’re looking forward to another opportunity to showcase Aristocrat Interactive as a solidified, future-ready unit with global gaming expertise.”

Attendees can connect with Aristocrat Interactive at Booth #209 and meet the team for one-on-one discussions in Room #205. Aristocrat Interactive will also hold a showcase on Wednesday, September 10 at 1:30 p.m. at its booth.

For more information about Aristocrat Interactive and its iLottery solutions, please visit aristocratinteractive.com.

Gambling in the USA

Scientific Games Introduces Obsidian, All-Black Holographic Lottery Scratch Games

Published

14 hours ago

September 4, 2025

Peter Tolan

Premium Instant Scratch Game Innovation Adds Luxury and Uniqueness at Retail with Exclusive Play Experience

Scientific Games announces Obsidian, its latest breakthrough in instant scratch game innovation. A revolutionary addition to the global lottery company’s holographic product offerings, Obsidian will debut at the North American Association of State & Provincial Lotteries 2025 Conference taking place September 8 to September 11 in Ontario, Canada.

With 18 unique design concepts, Obsidian games feature a dramatic combination of all-black tones and holographics to create a sleek, glasslike appearance. Named after naturally occurring volcanic rock, the Obsidian line offers a bold, ultra-premium look and scratch experience.

Obsidian is one of a number of new product designs from Scientific Games to be unveiled at NASPL 2025. The new products were developed by Scientific Games’ Innovation and Discovery teams at its metro Atlanta global headquarters, the largest lottery instant game production facility in the world. Obsidian games will also be produced at the company’s Canadian and UK facilities.

“Our game innovators have followed holographic trends on high-end luxury items and were inspired to create fresh, new games centered on value proposition design for our lottery partners,” said Danielle Hodges, Senior Director, Global Product Innovation & Development for Scientific Games. “At a time when the market basket average is increasing, holographic games allow lotteries to differentiate their games by adding a touch of luxury and uniqueness. In sneak previews of Obsidian with several lotteries, the response we’ve received is pure excitement.”

The company continues to lead the industry in scratch game innovation, using holographics to heighten retail appeal and create immersive player experiences.

Scientific Games, the world’s largest creator, producer and manager of lottery instant games, offers more than 100 strategic enhancements for its world-leading scratch products. The company’s products represent 70% of global instant game retail sales.

Innovating products and solutions that move the global lottery industry forward since 1973, Scientific Games provides retail and digital games, technology, analytics and services to 150 lotteries in 50 countries around the globe, including nearly every North American lottery.

Gambling in the USA

ETPL APPOINTS LONDON-BASED OAKVALE CAPITAL AS EXCLUSIVE INVESTMENT BANKER TO LEAD CAPITAL RAISE AND GROWTH STRATEGY

Published

2 days ago

September 3, 2025

Peter Tolan

The European T20 Premier League (ETPL), an ICC-approved T20 league co-owned by Abhishek Bachchan and backed by Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, has appointed Oakvale Capital as its exclusive investment banker.

“Oakvale’s deep expertise in sports finance will be a game-changer for ETPL’s long-term vision. We look forward to working closely with their expert team to help bring our event to fruition,” said Warren Deutrom, CEO, Cricket Ireland.

“Oakvale is one of the leading London-based investment banks in the sports and gaming ecosystem. Their sector depth, global network, and track record advising rights-holders, clubs, and technology platforms make them the right partner for ETPL as we scale,” said Saurav Banerjee, Co-owner and Director, ETPL.

“We’re excited to support ETPL’s bold and innovative approach to cricket. The vision to elevate the sport in Europe with a premium, differentiated offering aligns well with Oakvale’s strategic focus in global sports properties,” said Sandford Loudon, Partner, Oakvale Capital.

Blending world-class cricket with a distinctively European experience, ETPL aims to redefine the sport through elite talent, immersive fan experiences, and data-driven innovation. In addition, KPMG in India has been appointed as ETPL’s strategic advisor.

Gambling in the USA7 days ago

Plaza Hotel & Casino to welcome the U.S. National Champions Summerlin South All Stars to be TNT Ignitors for Welcome to the Weekend Friday Fireworks, next Friday, Sept. 5