Most people are so caught up in how much they can win at slots that they never consider the other side of the equation. In addition to the casino earning a lot of money, states are also taking in huge chunks of change in the form of tax revenue.
Take Pennsylvania for example: during July 2010, slot machine tax revenue was approximately $116 million. When compared to the same period during 2009, this is a 17.81 percent increase. In short, this means that the state is pulling in roughly $3.74 million/day in tax revenue.
Why the jump all of a sudden? One theory is that the opening of table games has drawn in additional players. While they may be initially attracted to the tables (blackjack, craps, roulette, etc.), many find themselves playing slot machines soon enough.
It will be interesting to see if this trend continues in the months to come, or if things level out as the excitement of table games dies down.