Pennsylvania became the fifth state in the post-PASPA era to surpass $30 billion in sports betting handle Tuesday when its Gaming Control Board reported $591.9 million worth of wagers for May.
The Keystone State joined neighbors New Jersey and New York, as well as Nevada and Illinois, in that select group after 67 months of commercial wagering. May’s handle represented a 19.4% increase year-over-year and was down only 8.4% from April’s $646.1 million.
The state’s 18 retail sportsbooks and 11 mobile books combined for $61.7 million in gross sports betting revenue, resulting in a 10.4% hold. Winnings were up 7.2% from last year with the all-time total clearing $2.5 billion. Revenue also edged 4.5% higher compared to April, as May’s hold was nearly 1.3 percentage points higher.
The state collected $15 million in tax revenue from $44.2 million in adjusted gross revenue after promotions and the federal excise tax were deducted. The $17.5 million in promotional credits and bonuses were up 6.3% compared to last May as the year-to-date spend among mobile operators surpassed $100 million.