In Pennsylvania, the premiere of two additional casino-based sportsbooks helped to push December statewide aggregated gross revenues from sports wagering up by just over 294% month-on-month to slightly over $2 million.

Handle rises:

According to official figures from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board published by European Gaming Media and Events on Wednesday, last month also saw sportsbetting aficionados in the eastern state collectively wager about $16.17 million, which compared with the $1.41 million tally recorded for November, and led to local officials benefiting to the tune of some $722,356 in tax.

Infant industry:

Pennsylvania’s first licensed sportsbook only opened inside Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course on November 15 with this facility subsequently going on to post revenues for its first two weeks of around $500,000. Similar operations premiered at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and Philadelphia’s SugarHouse Casino from December 15 while Parx Casino in the community of Bensalem followed suit two weeks ago.

More to come:

Sportsbetting came to Pennsylvania courtesy of its passage of expanded gaming legislation in late-October of 2017, which was followed some seven months later by the United States Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate the previous federal prohibition contained in the Professional and Amateur Sports Protections Act (PASPA). The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has to date additionally granted sports wagering licenses to Valley Forge Casino Resort and Harrah’s Philadelphia while Presque Isle Downs and Casino could soon become the next land-based casino to obtain such an authorization.

Fantasy sports figures:

Away from sportsbetting and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has moreover revealed that December saw statewide adjusted revenues from licensed fantasy sports contests drop by almost 12% month-on-month to hit $2.86 million. The regulator purportedly detailed that there were nine such licensed operators over the course of the 31-day period and that these had contributed around $429,075 in tax.