The state of Pennsylvania has been expanding their casino gambling options periodically over the past several years and it has finally paid off. For the first time ever, Pennsylvania had more slot revenue than New jersey.
>The state of Pennsylvania has been working for years to expand their casino gambling options in the hopes of surpassing Atlantic City as the gambling capital of the East Coast. In December, the state reached one of their goals by having more slot revenue than New Jersey.
In what will most likely be the first of many indicators of how far Pennsylvania casinos have come, slot revenue for the month of December was $189 million, according to Spectrum's East Coast Slot Report. New Jersey casinos won $179 million in the same month.
"These results are representations of where the two states' casino industries are headed," said Gaming Analyst Brad Dawkins, "The revenue figures are only going to grow for Pennsylvania casinos with the addition of table games."
Pennsylvania lawmakers have approved legislation that legalizes table games at casinos in the state. With the added games, the casinos will now be fully loaded to go after more customers that have been loyal to Atlantic City.
Atlantic City casinos have been dealing with double digit revenue decreases for over a year now. Th industry has several casinos that are in bankruptcy, and several new projects have been stalled due to the economic crisis in the US.
Pennsylvania, meanwhile, has had several new casino open in the past year, and lawmakers have their sights set on passing New Jersey permanently as the premiere casino gambling location in the Northeast.
Analysts believe that in 2010, Pennsylvania could have more revenue at their casinos than Atlantic City casinos will generate. The prognostication only further hurts what is already an ailing casino industry in New Jersey.
Source: Casinogamblingweb.com - News added: 2010-01-23 at: 00:00:02
