Parx Casino still brings in the most revenue of all the casinos in Pennsylvania despite increasing competition and Covid-19 shutdowns. Market growth has been steady through the years.
From 2018 to 2019
In the fiscal year 2018 to 2019, there were 12 casinos in Pennsylvania. Parx was at the top for slot revenue and second to Wind Creek for table game revenue. The gambling industry didn’t yet include sports betting apps or online casinos.
It was only recently that Parx launched betparx.com. The betPARX app offers a platform to wager on all sports and play mobile-centric casino games. It features a wide array of slot games and table games.
From 2019 to 2020
In 2020 all 12 casinos in Pennsylvania closed their doors from March to June due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This was one of the biggest challenges for the casino industry in recent times, and Parx still led for slot revenue and was once again second to Wind Creek for table game revenue. At this time, online casinos became more popular due to the closure of land-based casinos.
From 2020 to 2021
Covid-19 didn’t have as much of an impact during this time. Live! Casino Philadelphia opened in early 2021 and is the closest competition for Parx. Parx market share for slot revenue was slightly lower, but it still brought in $343.74 million, which was more than the other 14 casinos now in Pennsylvania. It also brought in more table game revenue than Wind Creek and increased its market share for table games.
From 2021 to 2022
The total number of casinos in Pennsylvania reached 16 during this time period, and the first mini casinos opened. Parx still led in slot revenue, although Wind Creek led once again in table game revenue.
Summer is always a slower time for casinos, and business has been down, particularly on the slots side. People don’t have the discretionary income to spend, and managing personal finance is an issue. Casinos aren’t losing visitation but spend-per-trip is down.
Parx Casino’s market share is still high, and there is a good chance things will pick up as gas prices improve and the stock market rallies. Parx will be in a good position going into 2023 compared with some of the competition.
Parx goes smoke-free
Smoking was banned in casinos during the mask mandate but some casinos, like Parx, decided to remain smoke-free. Smoking is permitted on patios outside. Parx did this for health reasons and has received positive feedback from guests and employees. Gains in market share and strong performance show that the policy has not impacted the bottom line.
Parx plans to open a hotel
Parx plans to add a 250-300 room hotel to the Bensalem property. It will have a nightclub, bar, restaurant, some modular meeting space, and a pool/spa complex. The hotel is still in the design phase, so it will be a while before it opens. The closest hotels at present are about 4 miles away.
