It’s been a slow start for the Pennsylvania online gambling industry. Just one month in and the figures aren’t great but better days are likely on the horizon, so don’t panic just yet.
No one could have expected, in just one month, for the industry to thrive right off the bat. There are a few obstacles holding the state’s internet casinos back at the moment. But that should change in the coming months, good news if you’re an avid gambler in the Keystone State.
Inside the Numbers
Sometimes numbers don’t tell the whole story. When it comes to July’s Pennsylvania online gambling results, the numbers aren’t great, but there’s more to this story.
The state’s three casinos with internet gambling raked in $812,306 in revenue from slot machines and table games last month. If we’re looking at the big picture, that isn’t a ton of money especially when you compare it to a state like New Jersey which surpassed the $39 million mark just in the month of June.
Pennsylvania’s online casinos paid $326,700 in taxes last month also. So, suffice to say, it was a slow start for the mobile gambling industry in the Keystone State.
Online gambling accounted for just 0.3 percent of all gambling revenue in the state last month. Pennsylvania’s casinos generated $281,481,530 in total revenue, a 1.13 percent increase compared to the same month last year.
Variables Contributing to Slow Start
There are a number of contributing factors as to why Pennsylvania’s online casinos raked in well under $1 million during the month of June, the first being the fact that there were only three casinos licensed and up and running last month.
Once additional online sites launch, you can expect some growth. Gambling is big business in Pennsylvania. With so many popular land-based casinos such as Parx Casino and SugarHouse Casino around the state, there’s no doubt Pennsylvanians love gambling.
So, don’t think for one second that the slow start to online gambling will continue. Another factor may have been the soft launch approach the casinos took. If you live in Pennsylvania, you probably didn’t notice many ads promoting the new sites.
That will all change in the coming months once the land-based casinos realize their revenue potential with online gambling.
But the main contributing factor is a lack of access to the mobile apps for iPhone users. Nearly 45 percent of cell phone users own an iPhone. However, the iOS app still isn’t available for the online casinos. Until that happens, revenue will remain low.