For the first time the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has been able to make a year-on-year comparison of table game revenue in the state. Nine casinos were operating tables for the whole of August 2010 and these nine saw revenues increase by around US$14 million this August with the addition of 235 extra gaming tables. Taking the tenth casino into account, SugarHouse Casino, which commenced table operations in September 2010, revenue figures for August rose US$20 million to US$54,756,909. Overall there were 282 more tables in operation than in August 2010. There are presently 918 tables in operation in Pennsylvania, giving the state tax revenue of US$8,835,866 in August. Table games are taxed at 16% of gross revenue.

Two casinos, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Presque Isle Downs and Casino, saw a fall in table games revenue despite adding 12 and 4 tables respectively. Mount Airy Casino Resort made just marginally less than in August 2010 with the same number of tables. Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem has added 30 extra tables in the year since August 2010 and saw its table games revenue leap from just under US$4.3 million that August to nearly US$10.77 million last month. Parx Casino has an additional 115 tables and made over US$3.3 million more than the same month a year ago. The other four casinos all added extra gaming tables and saw increases in their revenue, by over US$1 million in three of the four.

Last Friday the PGCB announced it had fined Rivers Casino and SugarHouse Casino a total of US$42,000 (US$40,000 and US$2,000 respectively) for regulatory violations. These entailed payments made to two Rush Street Gaming companies prior to them receiving a principle entity licence. The two companies were formed in 2009 for the sole purpose of providing oversight and administrative support for gaming companies affiliated with the Bluhm family, whose holdings include Rivers Casino and SugarHouse Casino. (E-09.19.11)

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