COVID-19 significantly impacted the industry with bricks and mortar casinos closed and sports betting hobbled by the cancellation of live sports. Now with casinos open and sports wagering available on sports ranging from baseball to hockey, the numbers are back up.

A Las Vegas-based sports betting company is offering Pennsylvania restaurants and taverns free access to its products and membership to the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association (PLBTA) for one year.

Since Pennsylvania’s gaming regulations were expanded to allow casinos to include online gaming in their offerings, gambling websites have become increasingly popular in the state.

In June, 11 of Pennsylvania’s 12 casinos reopened their doors for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdown in mid-March and most are reporting a drop in gaming revenue.

With virtually all sports being shut down since mid-March by the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania’s sportsbook industry had another dismal month in April, while online casinos have experienced a bit of a surge.

With no sports to bet on Pennsylvania’s nascent sportsbook industry took a big dive in March. The industry took in only $131.3 million in bets in March. Before the COVID-10 virus shut down most sports across the globe it had been estimated that the state’s sportsbooks would take in more than $350 million.

With sports betting becoming a larger portion of the casino industry’s income, Penn National Gaming of Wyomissing has entered an agreement to acquire a 36% interest in Bar Stool Sports Inc. for $163 million in cash and convertible preferred stock.

Wind Creek Casino & Resort Bethlehem has signed an agreement with a UK-based bookmaker to operate a sportsbook for the South Side Bethlehem casino.

No more schlepping to the mini market,  Pennsylvanians can now buy their lottery tickets online.

The state Gaming Control Board reported that revenue was up 3.4 percent over total revenue in December of 2018, with casinos that added retail and online sports betting leading the revenue jump.