- The casino operator would like to remove 655 slots from the gaming floor.
- Wind Creek must prove to the Board the removal will not negatively impact revenues.
- Plans were also announced for a poker room move and table expansion.
Last summer, casinos in Pennsylvania won the right to reduce the number of slot machines on-site, if the reduction proves to be beneficial to the property. This year, Wind Creek Bethlehem is seeking the largest reduction of slots to date in the state, going from 2,973 to 2,318. With the removal of 655 games, the casino says it can create a more comfortable environment for players with no projected negative impact on the region.
Moving Forward with the Process
Wind Creek is one of several casinos that has shown interest in removing slot games. Last year, Mount Airy Casino Resort, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Hollywood Casino at the Meadows, and the Hollywood Casino at Penn National all voted in favor of removing some of the devices.
Just recently, Wind Creek filed a motion with the Gaming Control Board seeking the removal of slot games plus changes to its poker room. The company must now go before the Board during a monthly meeting and provide reasoning as to why they want to remove slot games. The casino operator must also provide reassurance that the change will not negatively impact the revenue numbers in the state.
It is expected that Wind Creek will present this month or possibly during March board meetings. It will be interesting to see why the venue wants to change its gaming total. The early response seems to be to make more space for social distancing as the US is still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. With the removal of 600+ machines, the casino would be able to spread out its remaining games more to provide ample space for players.
Slots are Big Business in Pennsylvania
Over the past few years, the gaming industry in Pennsylvania has focused on the new revenues coming in from the online casino and sports betting sector. However, traditional land-based slot games have continued to be a top producer for operators in the state.
For years, the slot games have outpaced table games when it comes to performance, bringing in the bulk of earnings for operators. The year-end report for casinos in the state showed that slots brought in almost 50% of the net earnings.
For Wind Creek, its machines generated $265 million in revenues last year. The venue came in second to Parx Casino, which generated far more at over $400 million. Casinos in the state are allowed to offer 5,000 machines total, but there is not a single casino that provides the max number of games.
Many operators have chosen to downgrade their slot selection due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Early on, casinos were restricted to lower capacity levels and many machines were not in use. With the reduction of games offered, the casinos still turned a profit, so it showed that the facilities can still function with less games on offer.
In the same filing, Wind Creek also seems to be interested in expanding its poker gaming space. The poker room of the casino was closed for quite some time due to the pandemic. The casino operator would now like to move its poker room to a larger space within the venue and offer 20 tables instead of its original 14.
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