Sands Bethlehems Slot Machines Earnings Slide to Lowest Level Since May 2009

Gross earnings at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem dropped to their lowest level since the casino facility opened in May 2009, although state officials say that result is to be expected.

With the end of the busy summer months and the traditionally slower gaming months approaching, gamers wagered a total of $55.3 million in slot machines last week, making it the fifth-busiest gaming facility among the nine casinos operating all over Pennsylvania.

According to the figures released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on October 20th, 2009, Sands Bethlehem kept $3.9 million in gross terminal revenues, which is all the cash left in the slot machines after winners are paid out, marking its lowest weekly gross gaming revenue, since it officially opened in May 22nd, 2009.

That compared to $58.1 million in bets and $4.2 million in gross slot terminal revenues the past week. Sands Bethlehem's record remains its opening week in May 2009, which totaled $69 million in bets and $5.9 million in gross terminal revenue. Sands' previous low point came in mid-September 2009, when bets fell to $54 million and gross terminal revenue fell below $4 million.

The revenues for October 12th, 2009 to October 18th, 2009 made the Sands Bethlehem Casino the fifth-busiest casino facility in the state, behind two casinos outside Philadelphia, the Meadows Casino outside Pittsburgh and the Hollywood Casino near Harrisburg.

Last week, Pennsylvania's nine casino facilities reported $505 million in bets and $37.8 million in gross slots terminal revenues, which shows drops of more than five percent for each number over last week. Another $12.9 million went into Pennsylvania's fund for property tax relief.

That brings the overall total of taxes collected by the state for real estate tax relief to $219.1 million since the budget year stated July 1st.

Sunday, 08 November 2009
Darren G. Strachan