Gambling in the USA
Pennsylvania Skill Congratulates Casinos on $504 Million in April Revenue
Pennsylvania Skill, powered by Pace-O-Matic (POM), applauded the April revenue reports that show the gaming industry in the state made more than $504 million for the third time since April of last year. Pennsylvania gaming grossed nearly $1.7 billion in commercial revenue in just the first three months of 2024, second only to the casino capital of the United States, Nevada.
The funding comes from slot machines, table games, internet gaming, sports wagering, fantasy contests and video gaming terminals (VGTs).
As the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) celebrates yet another big financial month, however, casinos continue to falsely claim their revenue is impacted by skill games.
âWe want to know what the revenue number is that casinos need to hit, or the next record they need to break before they stop claiming skill games are competition,â said Mike Barley, chief public affairs officer for POM. âEvery month, we read about their incredible revenue gains, and then the casino industry turns around and claims they are losing money because of skill games. Their arguments donât pass the smell test.â
Instead of battling skill games, Barley said casinos should support legislation sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw and Rep. Danilo Burgos that will regulate and tax skill games. There is bipartisan backing for the legislation that will place guardrails around skill game operations and provide as much as $250 million in skill game state tax revenue in just the first year. Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to see skill game tax revenue as part of his 2024-25 state budget.
Given the casino industry revenue gains so far this year, it is hard to understand why they are crying wolf. âItâs difficult to see how skill games are causing hardship for a billion-dollar industry,â Barley said, adding that there is room for both gambling and skill games in the Commonwealth. Since skill games entered the marketplace, gambling revenue has increased and broken records.
Several courts have ruled Pennsylvania Skill games are legal, including a unanimous Commonwealth Court last year. In addition to providing supplemental income to small businesses, many Pennsylvania Skill games are manufactured in Williamsport, and over 90 percent of the income they generate stays within the local economy and the state.
The baseless accusations, Barley explained, are an assault on small businesses, veterans groups, volunteer fire companies and other fraternal clubs across the state that count on legal skill games to make ends meet. Small business owners with skill games in their establishments are saying the revenue has saved their businesses.
Many of these locations rely on income from skill games to offer competitive wages and benefits to their employees, who are often heads of households supporting their families. This is what struggling families need right now, not another roadblock, Barley explained.
The proposed legislation limits the number of skill games per establishment to no more than five in LCB and lottery-licensed locations and up to ten at fraternal clubs.
Skill game distributors, operators and locations will be licensed and regulated through the Department of Revenue. The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control & Enforcement and local law enforcement in counties of the first class would be responsible for policing the skill game industry, helping to crack down on illegal games encroaching on communities across the Commonwealth.
âBacking this legislation means speaking up for the little guy – volunteer fire companies, VFW posts, mom-and-pop shops, fraternal clubs, small businesses and their employees. I believe Pennsylvanians can sleep comfortably knowing that the big internationally owned casinos will continue to survive on their record profits.â Barley said.
The Mechoopda Indian Tribe has announced that the Mechoopda Economic Gaming Authority (MEGA) Board has made the decision to suspend operations at Mechoopda Casino. The final day of operations will be Friday, January 31, 2025.
The Mechoopda Casino says this decision comes after months of deliberation and efforts to address the various challenges affecting the casinoâs operations.
Dennis Ramirez, Tribal Chairman of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe, said: âSuspending operations at the Casino is a heart-wrenching decision that affects not only our Tribe but also our valued employees, customers, and the surrounding community. While this chapter is closing, our commitment to the Casino’s long-term vision remains steadfast. For over 25 years, this project has been a cornerstone of our economic development goals, and we will continue to work toward its future reopening.â
The Tribe is taking steps to support both its employees and community partners during this transition period:
Employee Support: The Tribe is committed to offering resources and guidance to assist team members through this difficult time.
Remaining Open Until January 31: The Casino will remain open through its final day of operation, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy the remaining days of service.
Bettors in Arizona wagered approximately $791 million on sports in October of 2024, according to a new report by the Arizona Department of Gaming. This represents an approximate 22% increase when compared to October of 2023.
The state collected approximately $2.35 million in privilege fees in the month.
Gambling in the USA
Neosurf & Betting Hero to reveal results of their in-depth study into US online gambling and payment habits in exclusive two-part webinar series
Neosurf, the globally trusted provider of swift and secure cash-to-digital payment solutions, has announced it will be sharing the findings of a recent study into the online betting habits, preferences and frustrations of US players in an exclusive two-part webinar series beginning on January 14th.
Neosurf commissioned the research via Betting Hero â a leading US-based iGaming portal with expertise in casino, sports betting and DFS. The webinars will see Neosurf CEO Americas, Sue Page, Betting Heroâs Co-Founder and President, Jai Maw, and Senior Director of Product and Research, Ernie Ropas, dive into the reportâs key findings and discuss what some of the more surprising results could mean for operators.
The survey, which featured respondents from New Jersey, Colorado and North Carolina, aimed to help operators and regulators within the gambling industry better understand the typical US bettor â how and why they bet, what tools they use to manage their budget and what Responsible Gaming means to them. The findings will be revealed in the webinars and used to identify areas where Neosurfâs products can help operators provide a better user experience.
The research highlighted several aspects of payments and responsible gaming that bettors felt could be improved. Problems with payments remain an issue â 52% of respondents said that theyâd experienced payment issues in the past year, and with over 50% depositing and withdrawing multiple times each month, there is a significant cost impact to the operators.
Additionally, respondents indicated theyâd be in favour of using a service that could share pre-verified ID information with operators, with ease of use for new payment methods and seamless integration across multiple platforms identified as important factors in their choosing and remaining loyal to a single sports betting platform.
Sue Page, Neosurf CEO Americas, said: âIt was important to us to gain a more detailed insight into the US sports bettor. We wanted to talk to the players and ask questions that no one else is asking, and through our collaboration with Betting Hero Iâm delighted that we now have a comprehensive piece of research.
âOffering valuable insights into player habits â how and why they bet, the ongoing pain points theyâre experiencing with payments and their thoughts on Responsible Gamingâweâll be taking a deep dive into the results of the survey in our two-part webinar series starting at 10:00 ET on January 14th, and we encourage all US-focused operators and regulators to join us.â
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