When it comes to gambling, the top spot outside of Nevada is Pennsylvania. After a slow start to the year, attendance at Pennsylvania’s 12 casinos is ramping up with more and more people trying their hands at slots and table games.
Canadians and other non-U.S. residents who visit any of the state’s 12 casinos need to remember that their gaming and pari-mutuel winnings could be subject to a 30% withholding tax by the IRS.
Fortunately, through Refund Management Services (RMS), there’s an easy and fast way to get a portion or all of your withheld earnings back.
Pennsylvania Casinos Bounce Back in September
Pennsylvania casinos bounced back in September as gambling revenue increased approximately three percent, or $7.0 million, year over year. This comes after a poor showing for Pennsylvania casinos in August, when revenues fell 4.3% year over year.
Combined revenues for slot machines and table games in September were $261.0 million, a 2.9% year-over-year increase. Table game revenue increased 4.35% to $68.8 million1 while slot revenue was up 2.4% at $192.1 million2.
The majority of Pennsylvania casinos had a good month compared to September 2015, though four did show a decline in numbers.
The three top-performing Pennsylvania casinos were Philadelphia’s Parx Casino, Sands Bethlehem, and SugarHouse. Revenue at Parx was up almost 10.0% year over year at $45.9 million while Sands Bethlehem revenue was around $44.0 million. Another Philadelphia casino, SugarHouse, saw its revenue climb 12.0% to $23.9 million.
Top Three Pennsylvania Casinos
Parx Casino and Racing
Located just 20 minutes from downtown Philadelphia, Parx Casino and Racing is a horseracing venue and home to the largest casino gaming complex in Pennsylvania.
In November 2015, Parx opened the first phase of a major expansion, adding 700 new table games and slots. This increases the casino’s gaming space to 180,000 square feet from 160,000. The casino features more than 3,500 slots, 130 live table games, and a poker room with 80 tables.3
At Parx, there is also live racing and simulcast, and you can watch live thoroughbred racing throughout the year on the casino’s two tracks. First post is 12:55 p.m. every Saturday through Tuesday with daily simulcast and phonebet.
In addition to entertainment and clubs, Parx also offers a wide variety of dining options. Parx is strictly a casino and racetrack, so there is no hotel, but there are more than 10 hotels in the vicinity.
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem is just a 90-minute drive north of Philadelphia and 90-minute drive west of New York City. The casino has 237 table games, which is the most in the state, a 30-table poker room, and 3,000 slots. Sands Casino also includes a shopping mall, restaurants, a 302-room hotel, and a concert venue that draws an estimated 8 million visitors a year.4
In September, the casino announced plans for a $40.0 million, 100,000-square foot expansion that will add more than 35,570 feet of gambling space, bringing the casino to around 175,000 square feet. The expansion is the size of two football fields and will include a separate poker room and restaurant; when completed, it will give Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem the largest casino floor in the state.5
SugarHouse Casino
SugarHouse Casino is in the Fishtown area of Philadelphia on the Delaware River overlooking Camden, New Jersey. The 260,000-square foot casino floor boasts more than 1,600 slots and 54 table games. SugarHouse’s 28-table poker room (252 seats) is open 24/7 and is the only live poker room in Philadelphia.6
SugarHouse also has a 30,000-square foot Event Center. Or you can enjoy live, free entertainment at The Refinery every Friday and Saturday night. At SugarHouse, you’ll also find seven different restaurants for every budget.
As a stand-alone casino, SugarHouse does not have a hotel, but there are a large number of hotels and motels in close proximity.
RMS, the Easiest Way to Get Your 30% Gaming Tax Back
If you visit a casino in Pennsylvania or anywhere else in the U.S. and win a substantial amount of money, typically over $1,200, on the slots, playing poker, or sports betting, the IRS will withhold 30% of your winnings.
But, if you live in a country like Canada, which has signed a U.S. tax treaty, you may be eligible for a refund. Moreover, RMS can help you reclaim a portion or all of your taxable winnings.
There are a number of countries that currently do not have a U.S. tax treaty. However, if you reside in any of the following countries, you could still be eligible for a refund: Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and the U.A.E.
Only RMS has the One Simple StepTM process. Our Customer Service Agents take care of the rest. It can take a minimum of one year for the IRS to review the claim and for RMS to receive the refund.
Contact RMS today by calling our toll-free number at 1-888-272-5559 or by emailing us at [email protected].
Sources:
1. “September Table Game Report,” Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, October 26, 2016; http://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/files/revenue/Gaming_Revenue_Monthly_Table_Games_FY20162017.pdf.
2. “September Slot Revenue,” Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, October 26, 2016; http://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/files/revenue/Gaming_Revenue_Monthly_Slots_FY20162017.pdf.
3. “Casino,” Parx Racing and Casino, last accessed October 26, 2016; https://www.parxcasino.com/casino.
4. “Gaming,” Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, last accessed October 26, 2016; http://www.pasands.com/gaming.html.
5. Assad, M. and Radzievich, N., “Sands Casino poised for major expansion,” The Morning Call, September 22, 2016; http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-bethlehem-sands-tables-expansion-20160921-story.html.
6. “SugarHouse Casino”, SugarHouse Casino, https://www.sugarhousecasino.com/#sm.000or02dk1c79covwdt19tag6jkk8.