Pennsylvania Skill congratulates PA Gaming Control Board and casinos on record annual revenue of over $5.89 billion
July 29 2024 - 1:40PM
Pace-O-Matic (POM), creator of Pennsylvania Skill games, applauds
the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) and state casinos
which saw a record $5.89 billion in revenue for Fiscal Year
2023-24.
The numbers surpassed the previous high of $5.5 billion from the
2022-23 Fiscal Year.
The revenue increases come from slot machines, table games,
internet gaming, sports wagering, fantasy contests and video
gaming terminals (VGTs).
As the PGCB and casinos celebrate yet another enormous financial
win, small businesses, veterans groups, volunteer fire companies
and other fraternal clubs across the state also laud the income
they receive from operating legal skill games. Many would need to
make difficult decisions without the supplemental revenue they
received from skill games.
“The record revenue for casinos and other gambling enterprises
under the jurisdiction of the PGCB is important to the
commonwealth,” said Mike Barley, chief public affairs officer for
Pace-O-Matic. “Just as skill games are important to many family
businesses and organizations in the state. The annual gaming
numbers prove that ample room exists for casinos as well as small
businesses and fraternal organizations operating skill games to
succeed in Pennsylvania. There is no competition between the
two.”
Barley questioned why casinos, especially Parx Casino, whose
Parx Shippensburg saw the highest growth, are fighting skill games
and legislation to tax the games.
POM supports bills 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 put guardrails around skill
game operations and provide $250 million in new tax revenue for the
state in the first year. The revenue could be used to address
important needs such as transportation infrastructure and transit
funding. Gov. Josh Shapiro supports taxing and regulating the
games.
However, that revenue is generated only through a reasonable tax
on skill games. Barley questions why the giant casino industry
wants to destroy family businesses and organizations by demanding
lawmakers enact a crushing tax rate on skill games. Legislation to
regulate skill games calls for a 16% tax on skill games while
casinos say the tax should be 52%.
“Sadly, no amount of revenue is enough to satisfy the greedy
casino industry,” Barley said. “Instead, they want to kill
businesses, American Legions, volunteer fire companies, Moose
Lodges and other places that count on skill games. These locations
could never afford the same tax rate that wealthy casinos pay.
Casinos know that and don’t care.”
Several courts have ruled Pennsylvania Skill games are legal,
including a unanimous Commonwealth Court in November. In addition
to providing supplemental income to small businesses, the games are
manufactured in Williamsport and 92% of the income they generate
stays within the local economy or the state.
Jeanette Krebs
Pennsylvania Skill
717-418-6106
jk@krebs.solutions