Pennsylvania Gaming Revenue Sets Monthly Record as Gamblers Lose More Than $601 Million
Posted on: June 19, 2025, 01:44h.
Last updated on: June 18, 2025, 01:04h.
- Pennsylvania gaming revenue hit a record high in May 2025
- Gamblers in the Keystone State lost $601.8 million last month
- iGaming continues to experience growth
Pennsylvania gaming revenue reached a new monthly high in May as gamblers lost a record amount of bets.
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) revealed that May 2025 was the best month ever for the state’s many gaming interests.
Gross gaming revenue, or the amount of money retained by the 17 brick-and-mortar casinos, iGaming platforms, retail and online sportsbooks, video gaming terminals, and fantasy sports, totaled more than $601.8 million. That represented a nearly 16% year-over-year surge, a difference of $80.8 million.
May marked the first time in Pennsylvania’s gaming history that monthly revenue topped $600 million. The state’s previous monthly high was set in March when GGR totaled $574.5 million.
At $601.8 million, Pennsylvania’s May GGR ranks third in the nation. New Jersey GGR last month totaled $614.6 million. Nevada hasn’t yet released its May numbers, but it will likely be north of $1.2 billion.
iGaming Powers Record
May was almost unanimously positive for eight gaming verticals in Pennsylvania — retail slots, retail tables, iGaming slots, iGaming tables, iGaming poker, sports betting, VGTs, and fantasy sports. The exceptions were fantasy sports, which saw contest fees slow by 5% to $1.1 million, retail tables, down 4.5% to $79.9 million, and VGTs, down 0.08% to $3.7 million.
Retail slot revenue was up 5% to $224.8 million, while oddsmakers kept 34% more money at $59.4 million. However, it was online gaming that most fueled the record-setting month.
Online slots generated revenue of $177.2 million, a 40% gain from May 2024. Online table win climbed 18% to $52.9 million. Poker rake, or fees charged by the online poker platforms, was up 21% to $2.7 million.
Combined iGaming revenue of $232.8 million was almost $58.8 million richer than May 2024 when the online businesses reported GGR of a little more than $174 million.
Skill Game Ammo
May was unquestionably a profitable month for Pennsylvania’s gaming industry but the record performance could provide fodder for skill gaming interests seeking to have the slot-like terminals provided with a regulatory footing.
Skill games are billed as amusements that are exempt from the state’s gaming laws because their outcomes aren’t based solely on chance. Unlike a slot, which automatically tells a player if their spin won or lost, a skill game tasks the player with identifying correlating payout symbols.
State lawmakers continue to consider legislation to legalize skill games, which are commonly found in restaurants, bars, convenience stores, and gas stations. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) is supportive of legalizing the terminals to generate new tax revenue.
The casino industry has repeatedly lobbied state lawmakers on arguments that skill games poach play from their operations. But with an estimated 67K unregulated skill games continuing to operate within the commonwealth, and the regulated gaming industry reporting record revenue, that claim might lose some of its weight.
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