After a great 2024, Pennsylvania’s gaming industry has had a strong start in 2025, with total gaming revenue reaching $529.1 million in January, marking a 10.9% year-over-year increase. However, the month’s performance was a tale of two markets whose performance will certainly have a bearing on the future. While iGaming continued its rapid growth, sports betting saw a significant downturn.
iGaming Growth Continues to Surge
Online casino gaming remained the driving force behind Pennsylvania’s revenue gains, with iGaming generating $210.2 million in January. Online slots were the standout performer, surging 44.2% year-over-year to $158.6 million, making them the fastest-growing segment in the state’s gaming market.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course led the online gaming sector with $79.7 million in revenue, reflecting a 57.9% increase from the previous year. Valley Forge Casino Resort followed, bringing in $57.6 million from iGaming, with $41.4 million coming from online slots and $16.2 million from table games. Meanwhile, Golden Nugget, though still a smaller operator, saw the most dramatic rise in revenue, skyrocketing 251.7% from $2.1 million to $7.3 million.
The online poker segment had a more modest showing, with Mount Airy Casino Resort leading the category, generating $1.4 million and accounting for 36% of the state’s total online poker revenue.
Retail Slots Maintain Their Stronghold
Traditional casino gaming also performed well, with retail slot machines generating $187.8 million in revenue for the month, a 4.6% increase from the previous year. Parx Casino led the market, earning $30 million, followed by Wind Creek Bethlehem at $21.3 million and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh at $20.6 million.
While most operators reported slight growth, The Casino at Nemacolin had the highest percentage increase, up 17.2% to $1.6 million. Parx Shippensburg followed with a 14.7% increase, reaching $2.9 million.
Sports Betting’s Revenue Decline
In contrast to the growth seen in iGaming and retail slots, Pennsylvania’s sports betting market took a hit in January, with revenue dropping 26.4% year-over-year to $51.5 million. The majority of this revenue, $49.2 million, came from online sports betting, while retail sportsbooks contributed just $2.3 million.
Valley Forge Casino Resort remained the top sportsbook in the state, bringing in $28.8 million despite seeing a 27.2% decline in revenue. Hollywood Casino at the Meadows followed with $15 million, down 21.3% from the previous year. Parx Casino experienced the steepest drop among major operators, falling 35.2% to $1.1 million.
Whether sports betting can rebound remains to be seen, but for now, the momentum is clearly with online casinos.