Gaming is big business in Pennsylvania. To illustrate, the state’s 12 casinos employ nearly 17,000 employees.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) is authorized through the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act to regulate all gaming activities. One of its responsibilities includes monitoring the casino’s hiring practices to ensure “diversity and inclusiveness.”
The 12 casinos under the purvue of the PGCB are:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino
- Meadows Casino
- Mohegan Sun Pocono
- Mount Airy Casino Resort
- Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
- Parx Casino
- Presque Isle Downs
- Rivers Casino
- Sands Casino
- SugarHouse Casino
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
Recently, the PGCB released the 11th annual Gaming Diversity Report for the year ending June 30, 2018. The report looked at the continued efforts to cultivate adequate representation. It also measured the effectiveness of creating employment opportunities that offer a living wage to area residents.
PA casinos strive for diversity
The casinos created Diversity Committees to monitor progress and aid in recruitment of “historically underrepresented segments of the population.” Working with local organizations, activities to support the mission include:
- Diversity hiring plans
- Employee referral programs
- Career and vendor workshops
- Advertising projects
The focus isn’t on just hiring, either. A diverse workforce requires a diverse workplace. There has been a strong emphasis by:
- Creating employee-friendly work environments
- Implementing policies that consider different cultures
- Providing a basic level of respect for all employees
- Pennsylvania casino diversity employment data
Pennsylvania casinos and resorts employed a total of 16,882 individuals. Commonwealth residents make up 90 percent of the gaming workforce in the state.
According to the report, casino employees are 57 percent male and 43 percent female. Minorities make up 36 percent of gaming personnel.
Of the 16,882 employees, 2,221 are executive or professional staff. The male percentage increases to 63 percent and the minority percentage decreases to 23 percent at the management level.
PA casinos have a gender-balanced workforce
Overall, the casinos report a pretty gender-balanced workforce. However, only Lady Luck Casino casino employed more women than men.
Unfortunately, it appears there is still work to do with regards to hiring minorities. Four casinos count less than 35 percent of its personnel as a minority, while only three casinos report over 50 percent.
Employment statistics by casino
| Casino | Number of Employees | Percentage of PA Residents | Percentage of Males | Percentage of Females | Percentage of Minorities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino | 907 | 99% | 59% | 41% | 19% |
| Presque Isle Downs | 788 | 95% | 63% | 37% | 27% |
| Parx Casino | 2,157 | 84% | 60% | 40% | 46% |
| Mohegan Sun Pocono | 1,537 | 99% | 54% | 46% | 84% |
| The Meadows | 1,263 | 91% | 53% | 47% | 9% |
| Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino | 1,244 | 79% | 54% | 46% | 61% |
| SugarHouse Casino | 1,476 | 71% | 58% | 42% | 58% |
| Mount Airy Casino | 1,079 | 97% | 56% | 44% | 41% |
| Rivers Casino | 1,766 | 96% | 61% | 39% | 33% |
| Sands Casino | 2,396 | 92% | 57% | 43% | 45% |
| Valley Forge Casino | 991 | 89% | 59% | 41% | 55% |
| Lady Luck Casino | 1,278 | 92% | 48% | 52% | 22% |
PA casinos prioritize community outreach
For the fiscal year ending June 2018, casinos invested $14,044,592 back into the communities they serve. The priorities for the casinos continue to be:
- Community outreach
- Networking
- Sponsorships
- Charitable contributions
Since 2006, casinos infused the Commonwealth with over $100 million to support social causes that serve PA residents.
Besides monetary donations, casino employees log thousands of volunteer hours to enrich local neighborhoods and communities throughout the Keystone State.
Eight casinos contributed less money in 2018 than they did in 2017.
Of note: Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino saw the biggest percent increase in 2018 by almost doubling its 2017 contribution. Mount Airy Casino contributed less than half the amount in 2018 then it did in 2017.
Community investment by casino
| Casino | 2018 Contribution | 2017 Contribution | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino | $486,524 | $568,435 | -16% |
| Presque Isle Downs | $246,627 | $234,998 | 4.7% |
| Parx Casino | $9,833,689 | $14,384,799 | -46% |
| Mohegan Sun Pocono | $235,675 | $336,615 | -30% |
| The Meadows | $66,467 | $120,492 | -45% |
| Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino | $102,360 | $52,517 | 95% |
| SugarHouse Casino | $1,316,130 | $1,326,765 | -0.8% |
| Mount Airy Casino | $76,298 | $172,653 | -56% |
| Rivers Casino | $330,514 | $301,671 | 10% |
| Sands Casino | $540,614 | $788,821 | -31% |
| Valley Forge Casino | $341,872 | $293,949 | 16% |
| Lady Luck Casino | $467,822 | $533,386 | -12% |
