HARRISBURG, Dec. 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It’s a merry time of year for Parx Casino and others as they see their revenue numbers from sports wagering soar to the $900 million threshold.
Pennsylvania Skill, which operates legal skill games in the Commonwealth, congratulated the entities on breaking records. This is particularly the case for Parx Casino, which has a big reason to be jolly this season.
The casino drove revenue of $756,756 from in-person wagers and $252,573 through online wagers, for a total of $1 million. This is on top of its bricks-and-mortar and online casino revenue. The numbers show the casino is not impacted by skill games. Yet, Parx spends its time trying to crush small businesses, volunteer fire companies and veterans’ groups for having legal skill games in their locations. These electronic games can be won every time with skill and patience.
“The Pennsylvania casino industry, including Parx Casino, continues to break revenue records, which we applaud, but sadly that isn’t enough for the gaming giants,” said Mike Barley, spokesman for Pennsylvania Skill. “They continue to attack small restaurant and bar owners and fraternal groups for wanting the opportunity to have a few skill games that provide much-needed supplemental revenue. Maybe, this time, the big guys can allow the little guys a small victory. Especially one that is allowing them to hang on during difficult economic times.”
Many small businesses and organizations rely on the revenue provided by skill games to pay bills and keep their doors open. Barley added that he hopes there is a point when the casino industry understands that their record-breaking revenues are not being impacted by the supplemental revenue being generated by Pennsylvania small businesses and fraternal clubs.
Casinos also oppose commonsense legislation sponsored by state Sen. Gene Yaw that will regulate and further tax skill games. Supporters of the bill want to see it pass in 2024, providing $300 million in taxes for the state coffers in the first year alone.
Barley concluded, “Time and time again, the casino industry has repeated the lie that the businesses and clubs involved with skill gaming don’t want to be taxed and regulated. The truth is that the only thing standing between skill games being taxed and regulated is the influence of big casinos. We are urging the legislature to act and pass commonsense regulations that will support small businesses, fraternal clubs, and the commonwealth.”
