Pennsylvania self-exclusions rise 18% to above 30,000 as gambling revenue tops $7bn
Board figures show exclusions up 18% in the latest fiscal year, while online revenue rose 18% and in-person casino revenue slipped 0.5%.
By Mara Quinn, Regulation editor
- Self-exclusions in Pennsylvania rose 18% in the latest fiscal year, to more than 30,000 people, according to the Gaming Control Board.
- Online gambling revenue grew 18% in the latest reported year, while in-person casino revenue fell 0.5%.
- Tax revenue passed $3 billion, and total gambling revenue went above $7 billion for the first time.
- A 2025 state estimate put problem gamblers at 2.5% to 6.4% of adults, roughly 200,000 to 700,000 people.
The number of people in Pennsylvania who have voluntarily excluded themselves from gambling has passed 30,000, up 18% in the latest fiscal year, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's annual report as covered by CasinoBeats. The rise came in the same period that the state's gambling market reached record revenue.
What happened
The board's report counts people who have excluded themselves from at least one form of gambling. That total now exceeds 30,000. Six years earlier, enrollment in the programs stood below 1,500 people, according to the report, which also expects over 10,000 additional sign-ups by the end of 2026 if the current trend continues.
The increase has run alongside a shift in where the money is made. The key figures reported are:
| Metric | Latest reported figure |
|---|---|
| Self-exclusions | More than 30,000 people, up 18% |
| Online gambling revenue | Up 18% |
| In-person casino revenue | Down 0.5% |
| Total gambling revenue | Above $7 billion, a first |
| Tax revenue | Above $3 billion, a record |
Online slots produced most of the internet gambling revenue. Sports betting kept growing, but it generated less than a quarter of what online slots did.
Why it matters
The numbers feed a debate over whether player protections are keeping up with online growth. The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs put the share of state adults who might be classed as problem gamblers at between 2.5% and 6.4% in a report issued in 2025. In absolute terms, that means somewhere around 200,000 up to 700,000 residents. The same report found that people who gamble on several platforms were more likely to report addiction than those who only play online or only in person.
A nonpartisan analysis released in July contended that Pennsylvania requires new rules on problem gambling. It set out a choice between measures that might reduce total revenue and more targeted steps that would affect state finances less.
What's next
The figures show exclusion demand and market revenue rising together. They do not yet show whether any new safeguards would change either trend.
Sources
- 1.Pennsylvania gambling exclusions top 30,000 amid record revenue · CasinoBeats (casinobeats.com), accessed 7 Oct 2026Primary
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