Having first launched on July 15th, online casinos have been available in the state of Pennsylvania for several months now. With only three sites currently in operation, the news of how the brands are doing has stayed relatively quiet. Despite the small offering in the state, the numbers have proven to be quite successful or the new industry. The state’s Gaming Control Board has announced the month to month revenues continue to increase, as the table games and slots become more popular than ever before.
Earning More Than Sports Betting
The online casinos in Pennsylvania have done so well that they are out-earning the online sportsbooks of the state. Online betting generated $2.5 million in August while the online casinos produced a whopping $3.4 million.
For the SugarHouse, the online casino generated just over $1.6 million in total revenues with slots producing the majority at $1.3 million. The Parx Casino was next in line with just over $1 million in revenues, with an almost split between slots and table games. The Hollywood Casino pulled up the rear with $3.4 million in earnings with just over $2.5 million coming from slot gaming.
SugarHouse was the clear winner, despite the fact that the online casino has less slot games than the other two. The brand was the first to launch a progressive slot which helped to increase the earnings for the site.
It is interesting to note the table game performance of the Parx Casino. While the other two operators clearly saw more online slot game action, Parx had a split between the two categories. For August, the table games produced $552,000 while the slots generated $544,000.
The Parx Casino had the upper hand on competitors as they were the only site that offers online blackjack. Since launch, the Hollywood Casino has added blackjack so the Parx may see a little more competition in the table games sector.
Hollywood Lagging Behind
As far as the three online operators in the state are concerned, it is the Hollywood Casino that is lagging behind. For table game revenue, the brand just barely missed the $65,000 mark while slot games came in at just over $619,000. The slot numbers are higher than Parx’ slot earnings, but they are clearly lagging behind as a whole.
Why is Hollywood seemingly so far behind in revenues? When comparing each brand’s name recognition, they seem to be on a relatively level playing field. Each of the brands are well known among casino goers.
When it comes to visuals, the Hollywood online casino is lacking when compared to the SugarHouse and Parx offering. Hollywood’s online casino is not as flashy or as eye-catching upon first glance. The site seems to be minimal with as little as possible on the home page.
While this is not necessarily a problem, players that are viewing each site will be more likely to play at the Parx or SugarHouse due to the visual appeal of the latter sites. Players are not going to create an account at a site simply because they know the name. They want to be stimulated. The Parx and SugarHouse offering is appealing, and the setup is most likely a big reason as to why players are choosing these two over Hollywood.
It will be interesting to see as the year plays out how the online casinos fare. We only have one full month of earning totals so we shall see if the Hollywood continues to lag behind or if they begin to earn more as the industry matures.
