Pennsylvania Casino Employment Grows, Diversity Hiring Stagnates

Posted on: October 1, 2024, 10:25h. 

Last updated on: October 1, 2024, 10:31h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Pennsylvania casinos hired additional workers over the past year but men accounted for the bulk of the jobs. Casino employment by race remained unchanged during the state’s 2023/24 fiscal year.

Pennsylvania casino employment diversity
A security guard surveys the Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino floor. Harrah’s Philadelphia is among the most diverse workforces in the Pennsylvania gaming industry. (Image: Casino.org)

On Monday, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) released its 17th Annual Diversity Report. The summary details each casino’s activities related to the implementation of their diversity plans to achieve the state’s goal of enhanced representation of diverse groups in the commercial gaming industry.

The state gaming regulator reported that as of June 30, the 17 brick-and-mortar casinos collectively employed 15,857 people. That marked a 2.5% year-over-year increase or 396 jobs.

Pennsylvania’s casinos continue to offer competitive compensation packages and growth opportunities to attract exceptional talent. As competition for talent has intensified, the casinos have developed and implemented strategies to recruit, hire, and retain employees,” said Mozelle Daniels, the PGCB’s director of diversity.

The PGCB regulates casino gambling, sports betting, iGaming, video lottery terminals, and fantasy sports. Revenue from such games totaled a record $5.89 billion during the 2023/24 fiscal year, a 6.8% year-over-year increase from the previous all-time high.

Pennsylvania is the third-richest gaming state in the country behind Nevada and New Jersey. 

Diversity Stalls 

The Diversity Report revealed that minority hiring didn’t make any progress in impacting the workforce that’s dominated by white men. Caucasians represented 59% of the 15,857 jobs, the same percentage reported in the 2022/23 Diversity Report.

The percentage of casino jobs held by Blacks remained steady at 16%, as did the number of Asians at 12%. “Other” was flat at 5%. The only demographic to make a gain was Hispanics, which saw a 1% increase to 9%.

Employment by gender saw males add 367 positions to 9,246 jobs. Female employment rose only 24 positions to 6,591 jobs. Twenty casino workers did not identify as male or female.

Men now account for 58.3% of Pennsylvania’s casino labor market. During the 2022/23 fiscal year, males represented 57.4% of the workforce.

Casino executive and managerial-level roles were even more dominated by men, with 63% of the careers being occupied by males. Only one in four identify as minorities.

City Casinos Report More Diversity

Pennsylvania casinos in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh reported higher rates of minority inclusion.

Rivers Casino Pittsburgh reported that 24% of its team members are Black, 8% higher than the 16% statewide average. Rivers Casino Philadelphia said 35% of its workers are Black, while Live! Casino Philadelphia told the state three in 10 employees were African American.

The Valley Forge Casino Resort in the Philly suburbs also reported strong minority hiring with 31% of its staffers identifying as Black.

Harrah’s Philadelphia was the only casino in the state where Black workers were the majority. The casino and racetrack in Chester south of the city’s airport along the Delaware River said 40% of its workforce were Blacks compared to Caucasians at 39%.

In more rural areas, whites dominate casino breakrooms. At Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County roughly 20 minutes northeast of the Harrisburg capital, nearly eight in 10 workers are Caucasian. At Mohegan Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains, a similar White-dominated workforce was reported.