Pennsylvania Legal Online Casinos
PA online casino sites were legalized in 2017, and in July 2019, the first commercial casinos in the state launched online platforms. PA residents can now play real money casino games legally online. We have created a guide to Pennsylvania online casinos, covering everything from games and bonuses to laws and regulations. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has announced that nine PA casinos have applied for an online gambling license that could allow them to offer games by the end of 2018 or early 2019. Pennsylvania Online Casinos Pennsylvania is the most populous US state with legal, regulated online gambling in 2020. The omnibus expansion package Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law in 2017 authorized interactive gaming across multiple verticals — including lottery, casino, fantasy sports, sports betting, and poker.
There are now nine online casino apps in PA. These are legal, regulated online casinos from popular brand names such as DraftKings, MGM, Unibet, and BetRivers. In this post we help you decide which is best. Our top recommended PA online casino is Unibet PA (get $10 free + $500 deposit match right here). Pennsylvania's legal online gambling status is near complete with casino, poker, and sports gambling supported online by the state. However, some of these online gambling forms have yet to launch. Therefore, we recommend using licensed offshore online gambling sites in the meantime.
Ranked second in the nation in gross gaming revenue ($3.2 billion) and seventh in annual lottery sales ($4.14 billion), it’s a safe conclusion that Pennsylvania residents and visitors love to gamble. Not only is brick and mortar gambling popular with 34 licensed casino properties, but Pennsylvania online casinos are alive and well with hundreds of options. Curious where to play to take advantage of the conveniences of online gambling in PA? Check out our list below of the top Pennsylvania online casino sites.| Rank | Online Casino | Key Info | Bonus Info | Visit Casino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |
| |||
| #2 |
| |||
| #3 |
| |||
| #4 |
| |||
| #5 |
|
Why Are These the Best Pennsylvania Online Casinos?
With many great real money Pennsylvania online casino sites to choose from, we get the ability to be picky. Our goal is to ensure we’re only recommending the best Pennsylvania online casinos.
No one came here with second-best in mind. When you gamble online with your hard-earned money, you want the best experience possible.
To ensure that happens, we’ve commissioned an expert team of reviewers to review, rate, and rank the top Pennsylvania online casino sites. Below, you’ll see a sneak peek at the three most important criteria they look at when making their determinations.
Secure and Safe Online Casinos
Number one and two on their priority list are security and safety. Pennsylvania online casinos won’t get within 100 miles of our recommended list if they can’t guarantee the protection of your money, bets, and personal information. Period. End of discussion. There are zero acceptable excuses when it comes to keeping you safe when gambling online in Pennsylvania.
Here are the critical questions we ask of all Pennsylvania online gambling sites we review:
- Do you treat security and safety as priorities?
- Do you utilize a proactive or reactive approach to threats?
- Have you installed proper security encryption site-wide?
- Are your banking partners trustworthy?
- Does your technical team regularly upgrade servers and systems?
The Right Casino Games PA Players Want
Residents of Pennsylvania love to gamble! Let’s look at a few numbers:
| Number of Gaming Machines by State (2017) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 25,685 | ||
| Nevada | 172,295 | ||
| Oklahoma | 74,562 | ||
| California | 73,605 | ||
| Louisiana | 42,725 | ||
| Illinois | 38,283 | ||
| New York | 33,159 | ||
| Washington | 32,448 | ||
| Michigan | 31,176 | ||
| Mississippi | 30,944 | ||
| Gross Gambling Revenue by State (in million U.S. dollars) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 3,251.2 | ||
| Nevada | 11,917.37 | ||
| New Jersey | 2,903.48 | ||
| New York | 2,587.74 | ||
| Louisiana | 2,561.46 | ||
| Indiana | 2,240.84 | ||
| Mississippi | 2,142.06 | ||
| Ohio | 1,863.94 | ||
| Missouri | 1,754.47 | ||
| Maryland | 1,746.36 | ||
| Lottery Ticket Sales by State (in billion U.S. dollars) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 4.14 | ||
| New York | 9.69 | ||
| California | 6.28 | ||
| Florida | 6.06 | ||
| Massachusetts | 5.22 | ||
| Texas | 5.07 | ||
| Georgia | 4.56 | ||
| Ohio | 3.93 | ||
| New Jersey | 3.29 | ||
| Michigan | 3.1 | ||
Digging deeper into the numbers, we found that the Pennsylvania gambling demographic has a particular love for three games—slot machines, roulette, and blackjack. The top Pennsylvania online casinos must deliver high-quality gaming experiences for all three of these games. Why? Because they’re important to you! All of the Pennsylvania casino sites recommended here scored exceptional marks with all three of these casino games.
What happens if those aren’t your favorite games? We’ve still got you covered.
Yes, we want to see special attention paid to the games PA gamblers love the most, but we also want to see other high-quality game options available.
Regardless of your casino game preference, the best Pennsylvania online casino sites listed here have what you need.
Quality
One of the most time-intensive sections of our review process is the quality control check. As we already stated, we’re not here to recommend the second-best options. Our review teams are highly skilled in determining which Pennsylvania casinos demonstrate genuine quality across the board and which are the imitators trying to peddle second-best garbage.
We’ve attached our quality control checklist that we apply to online casino sites below to share some insight into the process:
| Newest Casino Games Available | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Collection of Classic Casino Games Available | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Best Game Graphics | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Game Animations – Smooth and Seamless | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Server Speed – Fast and Sufficient | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Fairness in All Games | ✔️ or ❌ |
| 24/7 Customer Service Options Available | ✔️ or ❌ |
Are Pennsylvania Online Casino Sites Legal?
Yes! Pennsylvania online gambling is exciting because it’s one of the few states with a clear-cut stance on the subject. Pennsylvania online casino sites are legal. House Bill 271 passed in October of 2017, providing sweeping legalization of online gambling within the state.
Here are the major takeaways of HB 271:
- Online poker, slots, and table games are legal.
- Video game terminals at truck stops, online lottery, and daily fantasy sports are now permitted.
- Sports betting is legalized statewide (dependent on compliance with federal statutes).
- 12 PA online casino licenses were issued to land-based casinos in the state.
- After 120 days, any license not claimed by a land-based casino can be purchased by qualifying entities from out of state.
- Tax rates were established for all games:
| Game | Tax Rate |
| Online Poker | 14% |
| Table Games | 14% |
| Slots | 52% |
| Local Share Assessment (Applies to all three licenses) | 2% |
The bottom line is Pennsylvania online casinos are legal.
PA Brick and Mortar Casino Laws
Pennsylvania’s relaxed stance toward online casinos extends to the brick and mortar side of the house. With 34 licensed casinos, 35,872 slots and gaming machines, 1,507 table games, and 289 live poker tables, it’s an easy slam dunk to say the law supports brick and mortar gambling in PA.
For those of you looking for more information, here are some details and resources that can help.
- Pennsylvania’s definition of gambling: “Elements of gambling are consideration, element of chance, and reward.”
- Gambling in AP is governed by code sections 18§5513 et seq. and 4§325.101 et seq.
- Licensed horse and harness racing are permitted.
- Daily drawings, pull-tabs, and tavern raffles for a charitable purpose are legal.
- Bookmaking, punch boards, private wire for gambling information, cockfighting, and bullet play are illegal.
- Bingo, small games of chance sponsored by charitable organizations, and antique slot machines are permitted.
- The minimum wager allowed is $0.01, and the maximum is $15,000.
The Future of Pennsylvania Online Casinos
It should come as no surprise that the future for online gambling in the state of PA is exceptionally bright. When legislation in favor of gambling online passed a few years ago, it paved the way for explosive growth.
We predict more Pennsylvania online casino sites entering the market over the next few years. Additionally, we predict the number of patrons using online casinos over brick and mortar locations to grow.
Big things are coming for the world of online gambling in the state of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Online Casino Sites – FAQ
Yes! As one of the few states in the US with fully regulated online casinos, the experience is safe. We would advise you to follow a few guidelines to ensure the safest experience possible:– Stick to reputable Pennsylvania online casino sites.
– Create a strong password and keep it protected.
– Never gamble from a shared computer or public device.
– Avoid casino play when you are intoxicated or emotional.
– Never chase losses. Seek help if you have a problem.
PA online casinos are up and running, and growing fast.
If you are 21 years or older and inside Pennsylvania state lines, you can now enjoy online slots, table games, and video poker from your desktop computer or mobile devices.
This page contains all the information you need to start playing at online casinos in PA.
Below is a guide to the games you can play for free and for realmoney at PA online casinos. After that, you’ll find information on apps, bonuses, safety, and geolocationtechnology.
Regulated casinos also include protection for problem gamblers, which we cover at the end of this page.
Best online casinos in Pennsylvania 2021
Real money and free online casino games in Pennsylvania
You can play most games at PA casinos online for fun. Playing games in demomode, or with play-money chips, allows you to find the titles you like before you gamble.
The only category of games that are notavailable for free play is live dealer table games. You can watch them, though you will not be able to wager on them – at least yet.
The current offerings on real money online casinos in PA are growing, and fast. Casino sites regularly add new games as they are approved by the PA Gaming Control Board (PGCB).
We offer an overview of how diverse these casino game categories are. Keep in mind that the most prominent New Jersey online casinos offer more than 600 titles.
Play PA online casino games for real money
The number of Pennsylvania online casinos is now in double-digits. All of the PA casino apps are available 24/7 and offer online slots, video poker, and table games such as roulette, blackjack, and baccarat. Use this table to compare the real money casinos in PA.
| Rank | PA Casinos | Bonus Offer | Progressive | Slots | Play Now! |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | BetMGM Casino | $25 Free + 100% up to $1,000 | Divine Fortune + Mercy of the Gods | 80+ | Play Now! |
| 2. | Caesars Casino | 100% up to $500 | N/A | 36+ | Play Now! |
| 3. | FanDuel Casino | $200 Risk-Free | N/A | 25+ | Play Now! |
| 4. | Unibet Casino | $10 Free + 100% up to $500 | Jackpot Shores + Divine Fortune | 75+ | Play Now! |
| 5. | Fox Bet Casino | 100% up to $1500 | N/A | 12+ | Play Now! |
| 6. | DraftKings Casino | $45 Free + 100% up to $1500 | N/A | 25+ | Play now! |
| 7. | BetRivers Casino | 100% up to $250 | Divine Fortune | 50+ | Play Now! |
| 8. | Sugarhouse Casino | 100% up to $250 | Divine Fortune | 70+ | Play Now! |
| 9. | Hollywood Casino | $10 Free + 100% up to $502 | Divine Fortune | 80+ | Play Now! |
| 10. | PokerStars Casino | 100% up to $1500 | N/A | 25+ | Play Now! |
| 11. | Borgata Online Casino | 100% up to $1,000 + $20 free | MGM Grand Millions | 100+ | Play Now! |
PA online slots
Slots are the biggest category of games for any online casino. You can expect to see over 200 games listed on some sites and you’ll need some way to sort the list of slot titles.
Firstly, casinos will feature their most popular games. You can use filters to search by, e.g., the number of reels, game developer, progressive jackpots, and so on.
If you enjoy live casino slots, then you will be able to play a lot of these online. You can search by name, or browse the listings for IGT, Bally, or another live slot studio.
Many online casinos feature classic games, e.g., Wheel of Fortune, Cleopatra, and WolfRun. You can also find traditional three-reel slots. Online slot studios like IGT created these.
When you browse the tiled graphics for slots to enjoy, you’ll see progressivejackpots listed underneath many of them. These pools can get massive, up to $1 million or more.
Table games at PA online casinos
Tablegames are a broad category, although it mostly covers all the casino games played on the greenfelt.
While most are card-based, dice and roulette wheels also fall under table games. Live dealer games are in this category; however, we will cover them separately.
This list is for the software-based versions:
- Blackjack: There are a lot of variations of basic blackjack rules. These include games with side bets, multi-hand games and entertaining variants like Blackjack Switch, Free Bet Blackjack, and Spanish 21.
- Roulette: You can bet your favorite numbers or try complex betting systems with online roulette. Where available, choose the European roulette wheel because the single zero reduces the house edge.
- Casino poker games: A lot of card-based table games use poker-hand rankings. Online casinos have Caribbean Stud, three-card poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Let It Ride, Pai Gow Poker, and Casino Hold ’em.
- Baccarat: Two of the three bets you can place in baccarat have a very low house edge. As long as you avoid the “tie” bet, this favorite among high rollers can be entertaining.
- Craps: With two betting phases and the chance to go on a hot streak as long as no 7s are rolled, craps is a lively live casino game. This appears at some online casinos, which gives you a chance to learn the complex bets.
Live dealer casinos in Pennsylvania
In other states, live dealer table games have become the go-to for many players and soon, they’ll be available in PA. With these, you’ll bet online although the action will be dealt in real-time from studios in PA live casinos. Bets will settle automatically.
Games available include blackjack (where you play on a seven-handed table), roulette, three-card poker, Casino Hold ’em, and baccarat.
Keep in mind, you need to act before the timer runs down in these games. Otherwise, your hand will be folded (or you’ll stand), depending on the game.
You can chat via text with the dealers and other players while you play. The added social element, plus the ability to watch the cards being dealt, make these increasingly popular games.
Video poker and novelty games
PA casinos allow you to play video poker games online. These include bonus poker and multi-hand variations, as well as traditional titles.
Pennsylvania online casino apps
There are pros and cons to online casino apps compared to mobile-friendly websites.
With apps, you often find only a limited number of game titles, along with account and cashier functionality. Compared to the hundreds of games you can play on your browser, this is a significant drawback.
On the positive side, having the graphics stored on your phone helps the games initialize faster. If you have ever had to wait for a bonus game to load on your mobile device after you hit it on a slot, you know how frustrating this can be.
Are the online casinos in Pennsylvania safe?
All online casinos in PA are licensed and under the jurisdiction of the PennsylvaniaGaming Control Board (PGCB).
Players are protected by know your customer (KYC) guidelines and responsible gaming laws. The games are tested for integrity and fairness. A complaint and dispute process is available if necessary.
When it comes to Pennsylvania online casinos, you really can’t get any safer.
The PGCB stated early in the licensing process that they have a deliberate, slow approach. This includes testing periods for new apps and websites. With the licenses for online casinos in Pennsylvania held by local live casinos and racetrack casinos, you’ll have trusted brand names behind each of the apps.
A major concern for players new to casino games is the fairness of the spins or deals. At regulated casinos, games are regularly audited and the expected return-to-player (RTP) percentages are published. While each game has a small edge in favor of the house, you can be sure that you are getting a fair shot at winning and it’s in line with the published figures.
Casino bonus offers in Pennsylvania
With a lot of real money online casinos opening in PA in quick succession, you can be sure they will be competing to attract new players.
This means 2021 is a perfect time to take advantage of their marketing budgets. Casino bonuses take four primary forms, and not every casino will offer them all. If not, the bonuses they do offer will need to be generous.
Here are the main types of casino bonuses:
- No-deposit welcome bonus: A popular way to attract new players is to offer free play for registering. This bonus is usually a small amount (between $10 and $25). You’ll need to wager it a number of times before you can withdraw it. These offers can start your casino bankroll, if you get lucky. If not, then you’ll have a chance to check out the real-money slot titles without any personal risk.
- Matched deposit bonuses: This is the most common form of a casino welcome bonus in PA. Your first deposit will be matched 100%, usually up to around $300, though sometimes much higher. You then get 30 to 60 days to meet the specified playthrough (wagering) requirements.
- Loyalty/comp point schemes: Some casinos will tie their online comp point schemes together with their live casino. Others have separate schemes, with complex tier systems unlocking progressively bigger bonuses. For high rollers, these loyalty schemes often have a VIP level, too.
- One-off promotions: How active a casino is with promos can make a big difference to your bankroll over time. These vary widely, and include double points deals, reload bonuses, promos linked to new games and free chips for sharing on social media.
While nothing is stopping you from taking up several casino bonuses, keep in mind that these are restricted to one per household for each casino. Many players have been tempted to sign up their entire family for a free-play offer only to find their accounts to be closed down quickly.
Licensed and legal PA casinos vs. offshore casinos
For many years, the only way to play online casino games in Pennsylvania was to risk your money at offshore casinos. While there were some limited legal options with sweepstakescasinos, the new legal PA internet casinos effectively remove the need to take this risk.
Offshore casinos are usually based in the Caribbean or Central America and their legal status is uncertain. While their host nation licenses them, they are not recognized or licensed by any US authority and our banks are legally obliged to block payments to them.
A greater concern is the lack of oversight and controls. Many offshore casinos have disappeared over the years, and many players have faced significant issues getting their winnings paid. If you have a dispute with an offshore casino, there is no industry body or organization to help you.
With PA casinos under the watchfuleye of the PGCB, they are licensed to accept conventional payment methods and thoroughly tested. There is no longer any reason to risk playing at an offshore site.
Geolocation and PA casinos
You will be able to access the PA online casinos fromanywhere. However, playing games for real money and making deposits can only be made within PA state lines.
Pennsylvania casinos will not allow real-money play if there is any doubt about your location. In New Jersey, this led to a lot of “falsenegatives.” Players who were on mobile devices near state borders were sometimes flagged as being outside of the state.
Fortunately, those initial problems were ironed out and geolocation technology is more reliable.
If you are using a VPN or proxyserver, you might still experience issues. Mobile users on 4G and close to the state border who experience problems can download additionalgeolocationsoftware in some cases.
Wi-Fi data is difficult to fake, and if you are not using a VPN, desktop players are unlikely to experience geolocation issues.
PA casinos eligible to offer online gambling in Pennsylvania
| PA Online Casino | Launch Date |
|---|---|
| Sugarhouse Online Casino PA | July 17, 2019 |
| Hollywood Casino | July 15, 2019 |
| Parx Casino PA | July 15, 2019 |
| PokerStars Casino | Nov. 4, 2019 |
| Unibet via Mohegan Sun Pocono | Nov. 12, 2019 |
| FanDuel Casino via Valley Forge | Jan. 24, 2020 |
| BetAmerica (Presque Isle Downs) | Jan. 28, 2020 |
| BetRivers (Rivers Philadelphia) | Jan. 30, 2020 |
| Caesars Online Casino (Harrah's Philadelphia) | April 23, 2020 |
| DraftKings Casino (Hollywood) | May 1, 2020 |
| Wind Creek Casino | July 24, 2020 |
| PlayLive! (Live! Casino & Hotel) | Aug. 14, 2020 |
| BetMGM (Hollywood) | Dec. 1, 2020 |
| Borgata Casino (Rivers Philadelphia) | Feb. 24, 2021 |
| Golden Nugget PA | TBD |
In total, there are 13 licensed casinos that can legally offer online casino games, including slots and blackjack.
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino
- Meadows Casino
- Mohegan Sun Pocono
- Mount Airy Casino Resort
- Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
- Parx Casino
- Presque Isle Downs
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia (formerly SugarHouse Casino)
- Wind Creek Casino Resort (formerly Sands Bethlehem)
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- Live! Casino Philadelphia
In the first month of 2020, FanDuel Casino, BetAmerica, and BetRivers Casino launched just before the Super Bowl. The long-awaited Caesars Online Casino in partnership with Harrah’s Philadelphia followed in April.
Rivers Philadelphia (Formerly SugarHouse Casino) was the first brick-and-mortar casino to offer two different online casino skins under its casino license: PlaySugarHouse and BetRivers. The latter is integrated with the Rivers Pittsburgh online sportsbook that carries the same BetRivers name. Rivers Casino Pittsburgh did not obtain an online casino license.
On May 1, 2020, DraftKings Online Casino went live, becoming the second interactive gaming site under the Hollywood Casino license. Meadows, DraftKings’ land-based partner for online sports betting, does not hold an online casino license. But both Meadows and Hollywood are owned by Penn National Gaming, which has a market-access deal with DraftKings.
FanDuel and DraftKings originally launched online casinos that were integrated with their sportsbooks. Now, both have stand-alone online casino apps live in PA.
In late July 2020, Wind Creek Bethlehem dove into the online betting scene, launching the Wind Creek online casino through a partnership with Pala Interactive. PlayLive! online casino followed in August, and BetMGM online casino and sportsbooks debuted in PA in December 2020.
Borgata online casino went live in PA, the first market for the brand outside of NJ, in February 2021 in partnership with Rivers Philadelphia.
Live Pennsylvania casinos
There are currently 14 licensed gambling properties in the state of Pennsylvania with the latest additions of Live! Pittsburgh and Live! Philadelphia.
According to PGCB, this includes 11 stand-alone and racetrack casinos (Category 1 and 2), two smaller resort casinos (Category 3), and one Category 4 “mini-casino” – Live! Casino Pittsburgh. These gaming establishments employ approximately 18,000 people and generate close to $1.4 billion in tax revenue annually.
Mini-casinos: The next phase of Pennsylvania casino development
As part of its gambling expansion law passed in October 2017, the state had the ability to issue up to tenCategory 4 licenses. These licenses allow for mini-casinos with 300-750 slots. A supplemental license costing $2.5 million allows these satellite casino properties to offer up to 30 table games as well.
The process for the issuance of mini-casino licensing involves a series of auctions. The preliminary auctions began in January 2018 and were limited only to the licensed Category 1 and 2 casinos. The first license went to Penn National, who spent $50.1 million to secure a location 50 miles south of its existing Hollywood Casino. During the first round of auctions, PGCB awarded five licenses.
The PGCB ran a second round of auctions on Sept. 3, 2019 but there were no bidders. In Sept. 2020, the PGCB opened bidding for one license and Ira Lubertwon it for $10,000,101. He plans to build in Centre County, near State College, PA. In all, $124 million in license fees were raised.
Pennsylvania problem gambling support
A system for self-exclusion for problemgamblers is available at live casinos in Pennsylvania.
This program involves filling out some forms, providing a photo ID, and voluntarily requesting one-year, five-year or lifetime exclusion.
A list of excluded people is distributed to all live casinos. Then it is the casinos’ responsibility is to prevent those people from entering gaming areas.
Removal from this list (for the shorter periods) does not happen automatically. After the period expires, individuals must request their removal personally.
Online gambling prevents new challenges when it comes to the management of problem gambling. For the majority to enjoy safe gambling online, support systems need to be in place for players who experience issues.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Commission manages this support program.
Here is what legal Pennsylvania online casinos must provide:
- A prominentlink to their responsible gambling information page.
- Tools for time-out, self-exclusion and betting limits.
- A list of questions to assess whether you or someone you know has a gambling problem.
- Links to support organizations and therapists.
Support programs in the state include:
Overview of Pennsylvania’s casino industry
The Pennsylvania casino industry is relatively young. Casinos only became legal in 2004. Yet, in the dozen or so years in existence, the industry quickly became a powerhouse. Now it is the second-largest commercial casino industry in the country judging by gross revenue, trailing only Nevada.
Thanks to steep tax rates, Pennsylvania casinos actually generate more tax revenue for the state than Nevada does. That number has gotten even bigger thanks to the gambling expansion law passed in the fall of 2017.
Here is a look at the history of the Pennsylvania casino industry, starting with the latest news and moving back towards the casino industry’s more humble beginnings:
The year began on a high, but that soon changed as the spread of COVID-19 led to the shuttering of all retail casinos and racetracks in PA by mid-March. That meant furloughs for casino employees and falling casino stock prices.
Online sportsbooks were also hit hard, with most sports sidelined for a lengthy period of time.
On a positive note, three more online casinos joined the market before the Super Bowl. The FanDuel online casino made quite a splash, surging to highest handle and revenue earner after its first full month in February.
The long-awaited Caesars sportsbook went live on March 10 in partnership with Harrah’s Philadelphia, bringing the state’s online sports betting apps to a total of nine. The Caesars online casino followed on April 23, making it nine internet casinos too. An online poker room under the WSOP.com name is expected to follow.
On May 1, DraftKings added an online casino product to its established online sportbook. Its online casino product is under the Hollywood Casino license, while the DraftKings sportsbook partners with Penn’s other PA property, The Meadows. Both FanDuel and DraftKings later debuted standalone online casino apps in June and July, respectively.
Wind Creek launched its first online product with an online casino in late July, and Live! Casino brought PlayLive! online casino to PA in mid-August. Live! was the only casino to launch iGaming ahead of retail openings which followed in early 2021.
BetMGM also launched an online sportsbook and online casino in December 2020, the former in partnership with Hollywood Casino Morgantown and the latter under the Hollywood Casino at Penn National license.
Online wagering sparked and sportsbooks blossomed.
With sportsbooks, there were just three operations at the beginning of the year, and all were retail. By the end of the year, the Keystone State had 12 retail sportsbooks.
But eight online sportsbooks were also running by year’s end, with around 84% of all sports wagering done online. Taken together, sports betting took in more than a billion bucks in 2019.
Pa Legal Online Casino
Five online casino sites went live, the first ones launching in July, though a new Wire Act opinion likely slowed that market segment at the start.
And at long last, an online poker site finally launched. On Nov. 4, FOX Bet was joined by PokerStars Casino and PokerStars PA, making poker a reality in the Keystone State.
In October 2019, SugarHouse changed its name to Rivers Casino Philadelphia, but not before launching the first PA online sportsbook in May. PlaySugarHouse sportsbook and online casino still retain the SugarHouse name.
After a summer of bickering, the state legislature drafted a new version of the gambling expansion package, which both the House and Senate passed. Gov. Tom Wolf signed it into law on Monday, Oct. 30, 2018. The new law allows for a wide range of new gambling ventures, including:
- Online casinos
- Video gambling terminals (VGTs)
- Daily fantasy sports (DFS)
- Satellite casinos
- Sports betting
It also offered a new class of license eliminating the amenity fee in place at Valley Forge and Lady Luck Nemacolin. Valley Forge paid the fee immediately after the bill became law.
New licensing fees brought in more than $311 million for the state.
The PA Lottery launched several new games and created the online platform iLottery.
A US Supreme Court ruling allowed sports wagering to begin and nine of 12 properties immediately applied for licenses.
Total gambling revenue topped $3.4 billion.
Legislation which would legalize and regulate online gambling in Pennsylvania, and offer online gaming licenses to the state’s 12 casino properties first, was passed by the Senate. In June 2017 it was amended and passed by the House, sending it back to the Senate.
The law was approved at the end of October.
The law ushered in sportsbook wagering and video game terminals at truck stops, and a new category of “mini-casinos” was created. As part of the expansion, horse racing money from casino slot revenue was encumbered in a trust fund. The slot money was originally set aside as part of the deal which led to the 2004 approval of casinos.
Casinos set a revenue record of $3.227 billion.
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin opened in July 2013.
Valley Forge Casino Resort opened its doors in March 2012 becoming the first Category 3 licensed casino in Pennsylvania.
After several ownership changes and failed financing plans with no construction to date, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted to revoke the Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia gaming license in December 2010.
SugarHouse Casino opened its first phase in Philadelphia in September 2010.
Pennsylvania passed a law in January 2010, authorizing table game operations at the state’s licensed racino, casino, and resort casino properties. The law also clarified the size and scope of gaming and other operations at the state’s three different categories of gaming licensees, including:
- Allowing up to 250 table games and 5,000 slot machines at Category 1 racino facilities
- Allowing 250 table games and 5,000 slot machines at Category 2 stand-alone casinos. These properties were also authorized to operate amenities including restaurants, spas, and entertainment options, but not hotels.
- Allowing up to 600 slot machines and 50 table games at Category 3 resort casinos. These gaming facilities can include attached hotels.
Parx Casino standalone gaming facility opened its doors in December .
Rivers Casino opened in Pittsburgh, PA’s Chateau neighborhood along the Ohio River in September.
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem opened on the Bethlehem Works development site in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in May 2009. Table games were added in July 2010. The property officially changed ownership to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in June 2019. The casino is now known as Wind Creek Bethlehem.
Hollywood Casino opened at Penn National racetrack in February 2008.
Mount Airy Casino Resort officially opened in the Poconos in November 2007, becoming the first Pennsylvania casino with lodging.
The Meadows Casino began as a temporary casino adjacent to the racetrack in Washington County, PA in June 2007. The permanent casino opened in 2009.
Presque Isle Downs casino and horse racing track near Erie, Pennsylvania opened in February 2007.
Pennsylvania Legal Online Casinos
A slots parlor began operation at Harrah’s Philadelphia racetrack on the Chester waterfront. Table games went live at the property in 2010.
Parx Casino opened as a temporary gaming facility at the former Philadelphia Park racetrack in December 2006.
Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is granted one of five stand-alone casino licenses for a soon-to-be-built property located along the Delaware River in South Philadelphia. The project fell apart, resulting in PGCB revoking the license in 2010.
Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs became the state’s first slot parlor after opening its doors in November 2006 at a harness track near Wilkes-Barre.
State lawmakers made a number of amendments to horse track security bill authorizing both the use of 61,000 slot machines at racetracks and other new casino locations across Pennsylvania. Lawmakers rushed the bill through the House and Senate over the Fourth of July weekend, then quickly became law before any real opposition to casino gambling had a chance to oppose it.
The bill ultimately authorized the issue of three separate categories of slot machine licenses. These included:
- Category 1 for existing racetracks.
- Category 2 for designated tourist areas, including two in Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh.
- Category 3 for resorts.
Pennsylvania Legal Online Casinos Sports Betting
Former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell runs for Pennsylvania Governor. He wins on a campaign that includes support for the idea of allowing slot machines at racetracks in an effort to lower property taxes.
Pennsylvania Legal Online Gambling
Under Then-Governor Tom Ridge the State Legislature came close to legalizing riverboat casinos. The state’s anti-gambling movement began to grow and Gov. Ridge said he would veto any gambling bill not approved by referendum. Eventually the entire idea was scrapped.
A statewide survey found 48 percent of Pennsylvania residents supported legalized riverboat gambling and just 38 percent were opposed. However, Then-Governor Robert P. Casey claimed to be opposed to gambling and threatened to veto any gambling legislation passed in the state.
First developed under Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode, and championed by mayoral successor Ed Rendell, a proposal to allow riverboat gambling in Philadelphia made it to the state legislature. The claim was it would create $25 million in new revenue for the city and 11,500 new jobs. However, the House of Representatives voted against it in November by a margin of 118-81.
Resorts Casino Hotel opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey, becoming the first legal casino in Atlantic City. Resorts and the rest of the Atlantic City Boardwalk is within 60 miles of Philadelphia. It quickly become evident that Pennsylvania residents are some of the budding Atlantic City casino industry’s best customers.