September revenues at Hollywood Casino York experienced a decline of just over 4%, according to reports from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. This downward trend was notable, marking a deviation from last year’s revenue figures for the same month, when the casino raked in a little over $8.5 million.
Despite the setback, the overall financial picture statewide showed a more favorable trend, with gambling revenues for all forms increasing by over 6% on a year-on-year basis. The statewide total stood at a record-breaking $476 million. The Hollywood Casino York, located in Springettsbury Township, was unable to contribute to this increase, bringing in just over $8.1 million.
While casino spokespeople were not immediately available for comment, the decline could be attributed in part to a noticeable shift in consumer gambling trends. This change is marked by a significant decrease in sports wagering and simultaneous surge in iGaming. Notably, the statewide iGaming revenues have seen nearly a 32% year-over-year jump, while sports wagering dropped by 27% within the same period.
In the face of these shifting trends, Hollywood Casino York reported a 56% decrease in its sports wagering earnings for September. Sports wagers collected over $174,000 compared to over $400,000 collected in September of the preceding year.
The situation presents a sharp contrast on the regional landscape where casino revenues for September varied. New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement noted an all-time high in revenue decline, with Atlantic City casinos experiencing a whopping 21% drop. Maryland’s six casinos saw a more modest decline of 3% according to the state’s Lottery & Gaming Control Agency.
Explaining the regional downturn, Jane Bokunewicz, the director of the Lloyd Levenson Institute, which researches the casino industry, indicated numerous contributing factors. Among these were lingering pandemic effects, inflation, rising gas prices, consumer behavioral changes, and emerging gaming product options.
Elsewhere, Nevada’s gaming revenues have continued to show modest growth, with a 1% increase reported in August this year. July brought in an all-time, single-month revenue record of $1.4 billion statewide.
In September, Hollywood Casino York’s table game revenues also dipped, a deterioration of 26% from over $1.6 million last year to nearly $1.2 million this year. However, an upward trend was observed in slot machine earnings, recording a 4.5% rise and pushing revenues north of $6.7 million.
In Pennsylvania, the total revenue generated from all gaming forms, alongside fantasy contests, in September 2023, crossed the $476 million mark, reflecting a 6.2% surge compared to the previous year. This sum comprises earnings from slot machines, table games, internet gaming, sports wagering, fantasy contests, and video gaming terminals, all under the regulatory purview of the Game Control Board.
