The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has released December totals for the state‘s 12 casinos, with slot machine revenue increasing 1.2% when compared to the same month in 2016. The increase in spite of the fact that in December of 2016, an average of 26,074 slots were in operation while during the last month of 2017, only 25,849 were operating.

According to the Board, total slot machine earnings for the state during the 2017 calendar year was $2,336,212,902. This is the seventh month running that the casinos have been able to surpass the $2.3 billion mark. Taxes generated from slot games in the state for the year totaled just over $1.1 million. A large portion of this amount was used for a property tax reduction for the state’s homeowners, as well as to further strengthen the horse racing industry and to provide funding for economic development projects.

Breaking down the slot revenues by operator, there were both decreases and increases for December.  The largest increase in slot revenues when comparing December 2017 and 2016 goes to the Valley Forge Casino Resort. The casino earned just over $7m, which is an 8.64% increase from last year. Not far behind was the Mount Airy Casino Resort, which earned $10,646,185.92, a 7.63% increase from last year.

Lady Luck Casino at Nemacolin was up 5.66%, with $2,161,417.61 in slot revenues for December this year while Rivers Casino was up 5.85% with $23,068,919.81 in earnings also for Dec. 2017.

To the negative, the biggest loss goes to The Meadows Racetrack and Casino. The casino earned $16,581,165.94 this past December, a 3.70% decrease from the same month in 2016. Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack, Mohegan Sun Pocono and the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem all saw declines in monthly revenues when compared to December 2016.

Additional figures for 2017 casino gaming will be released by the Board later in the month when the table games revenue report is completed and made available.