All About Pennsylvania Sports Betting Handle And Revenue

The experts at PennStakes.com assembled this guide to explain the terms surrounding Pennsylvania sports betting financial figures. These include the terms handle, revenue, gross revenue, and tax collections.

The sports betting market in Pennsylvania includes retail sportsbooks at the commonwealth’s casinos as well as mobile sports betting apps.

Overall, Pennsylvania has a sweeping array of legalized gambling options. The commonwealth has legalized traditional casino gambling and online casino gambling (slots and table games); sports wagering, both in-person and online; live and internet poker; video gambling terminals at truck stops; and fantasy sports. Pennsylvania also has horse racing and the lottery but those financial results are not included in the commonwealth’s monthly gaming report. 

In sports betting language, handle is the terms for all sports wagers placed in the state during any month (or year). The handle is broken down into retail bets, placed in person, or online handle. In Pennsylvania, bettors wager hundreds of millions of dollars each month. The vast majority of those bets are placed by people using online Pennsylvania sportsbook apps via computers or mobile devices, such as smart phones.

Revenue is what is left to the gambling operators after winnings are paid out. However, many states allow deductions resulting from promotions and bonuses to customers from the revenue total before the tax rate is applied. In Pennsylvania, the taxable revenue is called Gross Revenue in the commonwealth’s financial reports. 

In Pennsylvania, sports betting Gross Revenue is taxed at a relatively high tax rate of 36% (34% state & 2% local). But operators can deduct promotions and bonuses to customers before the tax rate is applied.

In Pennsylvania, retail sports gambling began in 2018 and online sports wagering began in 2019.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting, August vs. June

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Handle and Revenue: August 2023

With the emergence of college football's regular season, along with the NFL exhibition season, the August Pennsylvania sports betting handle numbers were healthy as official figures were released Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

Total sports betting handle posted at $393 million, up a huge $16.1 % from July's $338.45 million and up 8.3% from August 2022 ($363.04 million). 
 
Mobile sports betting handle for the month generated over $367.17 million, up 16.2% from July ($316.09 million) and up 10.2% from August 2022 ($333.1 million). Mobile betting handle was 93.4% of the market. 
  
However, gross sports betting revenue (taxable) for the month took a major hit coming in at more than $22 million, down a steep 31.4% from July ($32.09 million) and down 35.1% from August 2022 ($33.95 million). State tax revenue generated from sports wagering during August was more than $7.48 million. 

Pennsylvania Mobile Sports Betting History

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Handle, Revenue and Taxes FAQs

What were the handle, revenue and tax figures for sports betting in Pennsylvania in 2022?

The Keystone State’s total sports betting handle for January through December 2022 was just over $7.25 billion. Of that, about $6.73 billion came from online operators that often offer PA sportsbook promos. Revenue derived from wagering at mobile and retail sportsbooks combined topped $401.2 million and the state collected $136.4 million in taxes.

What is the tax rate in Pennsylvania for sports betting?

The tax rate for Pennsylvania sports betting is 36% (34% state & 2% local). The tax rate is applied to Gross Revenue which has promotions and bonuses deducted from the initial Revenue figure.

How often does Pennsylvania release its online sports betting revenue figures?

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reports its figures for sports betting once a month.

Where do Pennsylvania sports betting tax proceeds go?

In Pennsylvania, 34% of sports wagering taxes go to the state and 2% to local jurisdictions.

Who regulates sports betting in Pennsylvania?

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

What is mobile sports betting handle?

Mobile sports betting handle refers to the amount of money wagered on mobile or online apps, using phones, laptops, or other online devices. In Pennsylvania, total handle refers to the combined handle of both online wagering and sports betting done in-person.

What is Handle vs. Hold in sports betting?

Handle is the term used to refer to the amount of money wagered. Hold refers to what’s left after operators pay out winning bets.