Turns out we’re not the only ones who are suffering through a winter of discontent.

It hasn’t been peaches and cream for the state’s gambling biz either.
And that includes Harrah’s down in Chester.

The numbers for February are out. They aren’t pretty. We got 51.5 inches of snow last month. And it turned out to be a snow job on the local economy, slots parlors included.

The state Gaming Control Board said play was off at most of the state’s slots parlors. That would include Harrah’s, where the take was off a whopping 11 percent from the same month in 2009. Harrah’s took in $24.7 billion in February, down from $27.9 million last year.

Overall, gambling was up 16 percent over the same month last year, but that’s only because more casinos are in play now, including the Sands up in Bethlehem.

Harrah’s continues to sit in second place in the slots revenue derby, trailing only the $32 million hauled in by Parx, at Philly Park.

Maybe it’s the allure of the new facility. Play at Parx was actually up
5.32 percent over the year before.

And a very interesting developing in state gaming coming today. Steve Wynn, Mr. Las Vegas, is expected to appear before the Gaming Control Board in Harrisburg to detail his plans for the Foxwoods casino proposed for the Philly waterfront.

That could mean even more competition for Harrah’s.

Stay tuned.