When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania

PA online casinos are up and running, and growing fast.

• When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania 2017
• When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania State
• When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania 2019
• When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania 2020
• When Did Online Gambling Become Legal In Pennsylvania

The 2017 law initiated a broad expansion of the Pennsylvania gambling industry, including satellite casinos and a new PA online lottery. Online casino gambling and online sports betting are the two highlights for our purposes, so we’ll focus there. Here’s what to expect from the market when it opens for business in the coming months. 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.

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 2020

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.

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.

When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania 2017

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 2020 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.

Full list of casinos allowed to offer online gambling in Pennsylvania

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.

List of live Pennsylvania casinos

There are currently 12 licensed gambling properties in the state of Pennsylvania, with another casino in the works in Philadelphia’s Stadium Park.

According to PGCB, this includes 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos and two smaller resort casinos. The former two are Category 1 and 2 casinos, while the latter falls into Category 3. These gaming establishments employ approximately 18,000 people and generate close to $1.4 billion in tax revenue annually.

In total, there are 12 casinos licensed to offer PA online blackjack, slots and roulette.

• 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

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 this time around. As a result, the five remaining licenses will go unclaimed. In all, $114 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 are to follow in 2021.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In the fall of 2017, Pennsylvania became the fourth American state to legalize online poker. It took a little while but in late 2019 the first fully legal, regulated, online poker site opened for business in the state.

The state has been home to many famous poker players through the years, and with its burgeoning land-based casino market, more players than ever are flocking to the live poker rooms to play Hold’em or Omaha, cash games or tournaments…and now even tournament series. Due to the plethora of players in the state, online poker has remained popular through the years as well.

And in 2017, Pennsylvania followed New Jersey into the world of legalized and regulated online poker and casino games. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is currently accepting license applications from online gaming operators and partners, and the websites are expected to launch in the third or fourth quarter of 2018 and will join the other poker sites operating in PA.

Latest Updates for PA Online Poker

After online poker was legalized by the Pennsylvania legislature and governor in October 2017, there was a 60-day waiting period before regulations could be announced or implemented. After the holidays passed and the new year began, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board began to make announcements in February and March of 2018.

The entire process took much longer than most people anticipated, much to the dismay of players anticipating the launch of Pennsylvania online poker. There were few updates throughout 2018, with the exception of some comments about the future of the industry. One of the most notable came from Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) Director of Communications Doug Harbach, who said that the poker sites will launch individually at first. The notion of entering the multi-state online poker liquidity agreement with New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada would be considered in the future. The other major 2018 event was the awarding of an online gaming license to PokerStars.

During a February 2019 meeting, PGCB Executive Director Kevin O’Toole noted that the gaming sites in Pennsylvania were “close” to launch, but the licensing process was nearly completed. At that time, he said sites could be running by the end of June 2019.

In April 2019, O’Toole revealed that there was a launch date of July 15 for interactive gaming sites. He said that all 10 online gaming certificate holders and three operators were informed about a coordinated live launch set for July 15.

However, as that date neared, it became clear that only a few of the internet gaming sites would launch on that date, and none of them would be poker sites. Three sites did launch – Hollywood Casino, Parx Casino, and SugarHouse Casino – with online casino games only. No poker sites launched, and little information was available as to their potential launch dates.

Finally, at the end of October, PokerStars announced that it would launch its online poker and casino product in Pennsylvania on November 4. Along with its land-based casino partner, Mount Airy Casino, the launch did happen on that day. And after only two days of limited-hour testing during the soft launch, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave its final approval for full operations.

On November 6, PokerStars PA opened for 24-hour online poker action. More than 500 players were in action during the first few hours, and the numbers grew quickly to eclipse the number of players online at the PokerStars New Jersey site.

The initial cash games offered NLHE, LHE, and PLO from $0.01/$0.02 to $25/50 ($50/$100 for LHE). Players eventually began to also try out more Omaha options, some Stud and Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, and mixed games. Initial SNGs began with $1 buy-ins and NLHE and PLO tournaments at $3. There was also a Sunday MTT schedule established for the first weekend, and nearly every tournament significantly eclipsed the set prize pool guarantees.

Within two weeks of the site’s launch, PokerStars PA had already announced its first Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker (PACOOP) for early December. The site is drawing significant players and consistently increasing offerings to meet the customer demand.

Despite PokerStars success in the state, no other online poker operator has announced their intention to launch in Pennsylvania. There will likely be announcements to that effect in 2020 but it remains in question whether PokerStars will get any competition for the PA market.

Pennsylvania Online Poker Rooms

The online poker operators and casino partners revealed as of early 2020 are as follows:

–Parx Casino via Greenwood Gaming (poker partner: GAN/Kambi)

–Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack via Chester Downs (poker partner: 888poker/WSOP)

–Mount Airy Casino Resort via Mount Airy #1 (poker partner: PokerStars)

–Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course via Mountainview (poker partner: IGT)

–SugarHouse Casino via Sugarhouse HSP Gaming (poker partner: Rush Street Interactive)

–Valley Forge Casino Resort via Valley Forge (poker partner: PartyPoker)

–Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem via Sands Bethworks Gaming (poker partner: unknown)

It is likely that Mount Airy/PokerStars will be the first site to launch, though Harrah’s/888 could be preparing for an early launch as well. Valley Forge/PartyPoker is another likely candidate. However, no sites are confirming launch dates or plans as of August 2019.

Pennsylvania Online Casino Launches

The following casinos have paid for initial internet gaming licenses, though some have yet to even reveal their partners for online casino slots and table games. What is known thus far is as follows:

–Parx Casino via Greenwood Gaming (partner: GAN/Kambi) – LIVE

–Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course via Mountainview (partner: IGT) – LIVE

–SugarHouse Casino via Sugarhouse HSP Gaming (partner: Rush Street Interactive) – LIVE

–Mount Airy Casino Resort via Mount Airy #1 (partner: PokerStars/StarsCasino) – LIVE

–Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack via Chester Downs (partner: 888/Scientific Games)

–Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem via Sands Bethworks Gaming (partner: unknown)

–Valley Forge Casino Resort via Valley Forge (partner: IGT/GAN/GVC/PartyCasino)

–Presque Isle Downs Casino via Presque Isle Downs (partner: SBTech)

–Mohegan Sun Pocono via Downs Racing (partner: Scientific Games)

–Live! Philadelphia Casino via Stadium Casino (partner: unknown)

As noted, Parx, Hollywood, and SugarHouse casinos launched their online casino games, all on July 15, 2019.

Parx PA already offers more than 200 online slot games, along with a few table games like roulette, baccarat, and blackjack.

Hollywood Casino offers more than 60 online slots, video poker selections, and table games like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.

SugarHouse launched the largest online casino with more than 300 slot games and a plethora of table games, such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and three-card poker.

Land-Based Casino – Supplier – Launch Date

• Harrah’s Phildelphia – 888 Casino, Scientific Games – July 15, 2010
• Hollywood Casino – IGT – July 15, 2019
• Mount Airy Casino – 888 Casino – Mid-Summer 2019
• Mohegan Sun Pocono – Unibet (Kindred Group, Pala) – July 15, 2019
• Parx Casino – GAN (Game Account Network) – Still Undisclosed
• SugarHouse Casino – Rush Street Interactive – July 15, 2019
• Valley Forge Casino – IGT/GAN – July 15, 2019
• Sands Bethlehem – Unknown – Sometime in 2020

Pennsylvania Online Sportsbooks

The online sportsbook partnerships known thus far are as follows:

–SugarHouse Casino via Sugarhouse HSP Gaming (partner: Kambi) – LIVE

When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania State

–Valley Forge Casino Resort via Valley Forge (partner: FanDuel) – LIVE

–Rivers Casino Pittsburgh (partner: Rush Street Interactive) – LIVE

–Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack via Chester Downs (partner: 888)

–Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course via Mountainview (partner: William Hill)

–Mount Airy Casino Resort via Mount Airy #1 (partner: Fox Bet/BetStars)

–Mohegan Sun Pocono via Downs Racing (partner: Kindred)

–Parx Casino via Greenwood Gaming (partner: GAN)

–Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem via Sands Bethworks Gaming (partner: unknown)

The three sportsbooks listed atop the above list launched in May 2019. The online sports betting options now complement more than a handful of land-based live sportsbooks in casinos around Pennsylvania.

Land-Based Casino – Supplier – Launch Date

• Harrah’s Phildelphia – 888 Sports – Late Summer 2019
• Hollywood Casino Sportsbook – William Hill – Late Summer 2019
• Mount Airy Casino – Fox Bet (Stars Group) – Late Summer 2019
• Mohegan Sun Pocono – Unibet (Kindred Group, Pala) – Before NFL Season Begins
• Parx Casino – GAN (Game Account Network) – Could Launch Anytime
• SugarHouse Casino – Kambi Gaming – Before NFL Season Begins
• Valley Forge Casino – FanDuel Group – July 2019
• Sands Bethlehem – Unknown – 2020 or Later
• Rivers Casino – No Online Sportsbook – Note: SugarHouse is a sister site.

Pennsylvania Gambling Laws

Pennsylvania gambling laws have undergone a radical change since October 2017. Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill into law which approved online poker, online casinos, daily fantasy sports, truck stop video lottery terminals, airport tablet computer betting, and satellite casinos. In 2018, sports betting and online bookmaker sites were approved. Here’s a full rundown of the laws.

Pennsylvania Online Poker Sites

Everyone and their mother has lists of the “best” online poker rooms for Pennsylvania, but no one wants to tell you what their lists are based on. We don’t have any problem telling you how we generated our list of Pennsylvania’s top poker sites online; the formula is a combination of the site’s reputation (including holding a legal license), the value a site offers to players (through things like deposit bonuses and VIP programs) and the game variety at the room (number of games in terms of both volume and type).

After all, isn’t that what poker players are looking for? We think so, and that’s why we used this model to construct our top-ranked poker rooms for Pennsylvania players.

Can Poker Players from Pennsylvania Play Online Poker?

Can Rocky run up the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum? If you’ve never seen the movie, the answer is yes. Same for aspiring online poker players from PA; you can charge right on up those stairs. In fact, it would probably take you less time (depending on what kind of shape you’re in) to get your PA online poker account set up, funded and to sit in at your first game of poker online than it would to struggle your way up the multiple flights Rocky made famous.

Real Money Poker and Pennsylvania Law

Gambling laws are complicated. Each state in America has its own language and code for gambling activities, so any questions about the legality of any particular activity should be directly addressed to a legal professional. None of us here are that person.

As far as poker and Pennsylvania law, however, we can give you a basic understanding of what is legal and not legal. And as of 2017, live and online poker are now both legal.

Progress for Pennsylvania online poker sites began to gain momentum in 2016 when a bill passed the House of Representatives to expand gambling with a number of measures, including internet poker. The estimated revenue was even put into the budget that year, but the Senate allowed the bill to die.

More momentum came in 2017, as casino operators, lottery officials, and legislators began talking as early as January. Several bills were introduced by March, though one of them – HB.271 – was the primary target. As the bill moved around through committees, State Senators wrote the details of the bill to include online lottery sales, daily fantasy sports (DFS), and online poker and casino games. Several problems impeded progress at various points, however, as tax rates were very high and controversial video gaming terminals (VGTs) were pushed by the Senate.

That bill went back and forth, from the House to the Senate and back, with VGTs remaining the most contentious part of the bill. Debates continued through the summer, and gambling expansion was again added to the state budget. This time, however, the state was in dire need of a passable budget and additional revenue. Throughout the month of September and October, a flurry of activity surrounding that legislation made it difficult to follow, but the bill ultimately passed with a compromise on VGTs in October.

On October 30, 2017, Governor Tom Wolf signed the law, making it official that Pennsylvania became the fourth state to legalize online poker.

Pennsylvania FAQ

Which companies hold online gaming licenses in Pennsylvania?

The first licenses for online gaming in Pennsylvania were awarded in August 2018, with more awarded through October 2018. The list of casinos with internet gaming licensees is:

–Parx Casino via Greenwood Gaming

–Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack via Chester Downs

–Mount Airy Casino Resort via Mount Airy #1

–Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course via Mountainview

–Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem via Sands Bethworks Gaming

–SugarHouse Casino via Sugarhouse HSP Gaming

–Valley Forge Casino Resort via Valley Forge

–Live! Philadelphia Casino via Stadium Casino

–Presque Isle Downs Casino via Presque Isle Downs

–Mohegan Sun Pocono via Downs Racing

While most have yet to launch online gaming sites, there is no deadline to prepare and launch their gaming platforms in Pennsylvania.

What games are available?

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has authorized online poker, online casino games like slots and video poker, and table games like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. There will likely be a plethora of casino games available. As for online poker, it will be available in cash game and tournament formats, likely starting with Hold’em and Omaha games with more variants in the future.

What are the taxes, licensing fees, etc.?

When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania 2019

Initial applicants for online gaming licenses had the opportunity to apply for a bargain rate of $10 million, which pays for online poker, online casino and table games, and slots. The three categories of licenses cost $4 million when sold separately, but operators applying for all three licenses at the start of the process in 2018 were able to obtain a $2 million discount. Each license will be valid for five years.

Gross gaming revenue from online poker and online table games will be taxed at 14% as a state tax, plus an additional 2% local tax. The online slot games tax is much higher, though, at 54%. The high rate matches that of the land-based casinos, but operators have been lobbying to reduce the rate for online gaming providers to give the industry a better chance for growth and overall success.

All Poker and Gambling Laws by State

• The path of 888 and the WSOP.com poker site to the Pennsylvania internet gaming market has been a confusing one. And there has been no evidence of expediency whatsoever. Nearly three years after Pennsylvania legalized online gaming and nearly one year after PokerStars became the first – and still only

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• After a year of waiting and watching the Pennsylvania online gaming market come together, the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fit. PokerStars, partnered with Mount Airy Casino in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, received its license to offer online poker. The awarding of the license happened at a Pennsylvania Gaming

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• November 30th, 2018

  Online poker isn’t the big selling point for internet gaming that it once was. Not only has it been showing in the New Jersey revenue numbers each month, where statistics show online casino games growing continually and poker declining nearly every month, it is becoming evident in the upcoming Pennsylvania

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• PokerStars has taken its time returning to the US market. The company painstakingly follows the gaming rules of each state, especially after its return via New Jersey to offer online poker to Americans – some of them – once again. And it plans to enter the new Pennsylvania market as

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• In the several weeks since our last Pennsylvania online poker update, several things have taken place. Some land-based casinos inked deals with online partners, while other licenses were approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). Online poker has been included in some of these plans, but five licenses remain

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• The road to Pennsylvania online gaming has been paved with some confusion, at least for the general public. In the offices of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, it is likely running like a well-oiled machine. There are essentially three types of licenses available for new industry participants: online poker, online

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Pennsylvania Gambling Research: Additional Resources

When Does Online Gambling Start In Pennsylvania 2020

AGA State Guide: Pennsylvania . Get all of the basics on Pennsylvania’s regulated gambling industry in this resource from the leading national trade group for commercial casinos.

PA Council on Compulsive Gambling Resources (in multiple languages) for helping problem gamblers, along with links to additional sites and information regarding gambling in the Keystone State.

When Did Online Gambling Become Legal In Pennsylvania

Sands Bethlehem. One of the more unique intersections of gambling and Pennsylvania history, the Sands Bethlehem (the only remaining casino in the US to bear the Sands name) sits on the site of former industrial powerhouse Bethlehem Steel.

Sources & Citations For This Article on Pennsylvania Online Poker