Pa. gamblers shifted online from in casinos in 2020, big time. Here’s what to expect next.
Updated Jan 24, 2021;
Posted Jan 24, 2021
Nestor Mercado, a Wind Creek Bethlehem dealer, works a blackjack table wearing a mask, shield and gloves as Bethlehem s Wind Creek Casino reopens on June 29, 2020, under new COVID-19 restrictions. The casino was forced to close again in December amid coronavirus safety measures.Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com
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Last year proved for Pennsylvania that if gambling is available, people will try their luck.
For casinos, that meant innovating as the coronavirus forced two separate closure periods, beginning in March and again in December. The result was a 22.24% drop in combined gambling revenue statewide, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said last week.
Louis B. Ruediger | Tribune-Review
Santoshi Darjee, of Pittsburgh, works at cleaning and disinfecting around the slot machines this summer at River Casino on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
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Pennsylvania casinos saw total revenues decrease by $759 million in 2020, a year plagued by the coronavirus pandemic that forced the properties to shutter for several months.
According to a new report from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, $2.65 billion was generated last year from the state’s 13 casinos through slot machines, table games, sports wagering, online gambling, video gaming terminals and fantasy contests. In 2019, casinos in the state generated about $3.4 billion in revenue, or about 22% more than last year.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Beset by state-ordered closures during the pandemic, casinos and other gambling operators in Pennsylvania reported a drop in 2020 s revenues of more than one-fifth.
Posted on 16682
Several restaurants at Rivers Casino Philadelphia will reopen this weekend, now that City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health restrictions have eased. Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House, Jack’s Bar + Grill, and Mian will begin serving this Saturday, Jan. 16. Restaurant capacity remains limited to 25%.
Enjoy a piece of carrot cake from Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House when restaurants at Rivers Casino Philadelphia reopen on Saturday, Jan. 16. (Photo: Business Wire)
Rivers Casino’s gaming floor reopened Jan. 4, along with all other Pennsylvania casinos, per the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and the Commonwealth. Rivers Casino Philadelphia is open 24/7, with select hours of operation for each restaurant.