The clock is now ticking down to a new challenge to Harrah’s perch as the king of local legalized gambling.

Officials in Philadelphia announced that they will finally break ground for the Sugarhouse Casino on the waterfront along North Delaware Avenue on Oct. 8. It is the first of what will eventually be two slots parlors inside the city limits. And it no doubt will siphon off some customers who have been making the trek down I-95 to Chester to load their money into the slots at Harrah’s.

Couple that with the arrival of sports parlay betting just another 20 minutes south on I-95 in Delaware, and there are more storm clouds on the horizon for Harrah’s. The casino has consistently been No. 2 in the state in terms of revenue, trailing only Philadelphia Park. But in the last year revenue has been declining, mirroring something that has been going in both Atlantic City and across the nation in Las Vegas.

Of course, there is a silver lining to those storm clouds. As part of the recent deal to settle the nearly three-month state budget impasse, the Legislature is likely to OK the introduction of table games in the state’s new slots parlors, including Harrah’s.

Win some, lose some. It’s something Harrah’s customers are all too accustomed to.