Rivers Casino Pittsburgh To Remove 300 Slots, Blames Reduction on Skill Games
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) recently convened for its monthly meeting, during which it approved Rivers Casino Pittsburgh’s implementation of significant modifications to its gaming floor layout.
This approval allows the removal of 302 slot machines from the premises, making Rivers Casino Pittsburgh the fifth establishment within the state to seek authorization for slot reduction since June.
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh justified its request for the reduction of slot machines by citing the necessity for newer gaming equipment and the presence of Pennsylvania skill games as contributing factors.
During the PGCB meeting, Andre Barnabei, the assistant general manager of Rivers Casino Pittsburgh, emphasized the disconnect between the current supply of slot machines and patrons’ actual demand.
He discussed the need for modernization in the gaming environment, highlighting the performance discrepancy between newer and older slot machines.
The casino’s intention to eliminate 520 machines from its gaming floor, some of which have been operational since its inception 14 years ago, reflects a strategic move towards optimizing the gaming experience.
Barnabei aptly likened the dynamics of the casino’s slot floor to that of a car lot, suggesting that the presence of the right mix of gaming options is essential for attracting and retaining customers.
Despite the removal of the slot machines, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh will still retain a considerable slot inventory, ranking third in the state with 1,981 machines.
This decision aligns with broader trends within the regional gambling industry. Other Pennsylvania casinos, such as Harrah’s Philadelphia, Hollywood Casino Morgantown, Lady Luck Nemacolin, and Mohegan Pennsylvania, have similarly downsized their slot offerings due to analogous concerns.
The phenomenon of slot machine reduction is not isolated to Rivers Casino Pittsburgh; it echoes concerns expressed by various industry stakeholders. Mohegan Pennsylvania openly criticized the proliferation of skill games as a contributing factor to the decline in slot machine revenue, a sentiment echoed by Rivers Pittsburgh’s attorney, John Donnelly.
Donnelly emphasized the need for regulatory oversight of skill games, drawing parallels between the situation in Pennsylvania and Rivers Casino Portsmouth’s experience in Virginia.
Skill games in Pennsylvania are currently under scrutiny, with multiple legislative bills proposed and Governor Josh Shapiro advocating for a 42% tax on such games in his fiscal year budget proposal.
While the full impact of skill games regulation in Pennsylvania remains uncertain, the issue has sparked debates and actions within the gambling industry.
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