The good news about the growth in Pennsylvania's casino revenue should be accompanied by a word of caution: Don't bank on that trend continuing indefinitely.
Pennsylvania is now the second-largest gambling market - a somewhat dubious distinction - in the nation, surpassing New Jersey, figures from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board showed.
Gross slot machine revenue in March from the 11 casinos was $233.1 million, a record high for the state, The Associated Press reports.
When slots and table games are combined, Pennsylvania's gambling market is $3.66 billion, compared to $3.3 billion for New Jersey, an official of a New Jersey casino consulting firm told the AP.
From a strictly business standpoint, the casino growth is good and should continue for awhile, especially since a casino just opened at Valley Forge and the state has licenses for three more facilities.
But residents and politicians shouldn't bank on such a winning streak, as another recent news item showed.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement said profits at Atlantic City casinos fell 7.4 percent last year to $494.9 million, a drop of nearly $40 million.
Undoubtedly, competition from Pennsylvania casinos contributed to that decline.
And Pennsylvania casinos will be facing more competition as similar facilities open in nearby states.
Maryland is scheduled to open its third of five slots parlors this summer and may consider adding table games. The second of four Ohio casinos with slots and table games is scheduled to open in May.
There probably will be growth in the total gambling pie as more facilities make it more convenient for more people to try their luck.
But that growth likely not be able to keep the individual slices from becoming smaller as the number of gambling facilities grows.
That could mean the decline seen in Atlantic City could be a forewarning of what might happen in the Keystone State in a few years in the face of increasing competition.
Pennsylvania is on roll, but as gamblers know, winning streaks end.
That's something officials need to keep in mind as they dream of all they can do as long as more and more money keeps flowing in.
