Pennsylvania Online Gambling

Everything you need to know about online poker, casinos, & sports betting in PA: Expert reviews, welcome bonuses, app analysis, FAQ, & more.
Last updated: May 2023

What forms of gaming are permitted in Pennsylvania?

Online Casinos

Online Sports Betting

Online Poker

Fantasy Sports

Online Lottery

Land-Based Casinos

While Pennsylvania was not one of the states to legalize online gambling back in the early days, such as New Jersey, today it stands as one of the most liberal states when it comes to all forms of online gambling.

The once conservative Keystone State changed its approach to gambling in 2017, when Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 271 into law, which legalized online poker, sports betting, and casino gaming. One by one, all three forms of online gambling were introduced in the state, adding to the already existing Pennsylvania Lottery and horse race betting venues.

Today, Pennsylvania is host to a number of online gambling venues, with more expected to launch over the following years. The state’s land-based casinos were issued online gambling licenses in the first batch, and we can expect additional operators will partner with them in the future.

On this page, you can find all the important information about online gambling in Pennsylvania, including the list of the best online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites. We have also compiled a list of all the responsible gambling resources you might need, and much more, making this the ultimate guide to PA online gambling.

Types of Legal Gambling Available in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is home to quite a large selection of online gambling sites, including sports betting sites, poker sites, and online casinos. If you are interested in gambling in PA, here is a rundown of all the legal options you will have to pick from.

Legal Online Casinos

Pennsylvania’s first online casinos launched in 2019. Two years earlier, the legal framewaork to make such gaming sites possible had been established with passage of HB 271. It took some time for the local live casinos and online gambling operators to form partnerships and launch the apps, but since 2019 players in Pennsylvania can play at some of the most reputable online casinos in the US.

The selection of casino games in PA is quite robust, with hundreds of slot games, table games, video poker machines, scratch cards, and other forms of casino games all available. Players can pick from about a dozen online casinos at this time, with more likely to get their license moving forward.

Legal Sports Betting

Pennsylvania was one of the states that engaged with the idea of online sports betting early, with online sportsbooks approved in the 2017 Bill, pending the Supreme Court decision on the controversial PASPA law. Once PASPA was repealed by the Supreme Court, online sportsbooks quickly became a reality in Pennsylvania.

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The first retail sportsbook was opened in PA in late 2018, with SugarHouse launching the first online sportsbook in the Keystone State in early summer of 2019. Today, sports fans in Pennsylvania can bet on a number of high-quality online betting platforms such as FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and more.

When it comes to the betting selection, major US sports competition such as the NFL, NBA, and NHL are all offered, along with international tournaments, Olympic Games, and even college sports. A huge selection of betting markets makes online sports betting in PA a fantastic choice for all the sports lovers in the state.

Legal Online Poker

Pennsylvania is also one of the few states in the US that offer legal online poker, alongside the likes of New Jersey, Nevada, Michigan, and Delaware. Pennsylvania has one of the biggest player pools, and major online poker operators such as partypoker, PokerStars, and 888poker all operate in PA.

The first online poker site in PA was partypoker, which opened its door in November 2019. Since then, a number of competitors have come into the market, making it an extremely lucrative one for the players. Valuable welcome bonuses and promotions, tournaments with overlay, and soft cash game tables are all markings of the PA online poker market these days.

Pennsylvania has legal online poker, but the state is not a member of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), a multi-state gaming compact that includes Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, and New Jersey. MSIGA allows operators in member states to share player pools, thereby creating shared liquidity — which means bigger prizes for players.

A decision on whether Pennsylvania will join MSIGA currently rests with Governor Josh Shapiro, who took office in January 2023.

Pennsylvania Lottery

Unlike online gambling, which only became a reality in recent years, the Pennsylvania Lottery was up and running back in 1972. The PA Lottery offers a number of local daily games, instant win games, and nationwide games such as PowerBall and Mega Millions.

Pennsylvania Lottery is now available online as well, which means players can purchase their tickets and check the winning number online, making it much easier to participate in the games. The Lottery remains the longest standing form of gambling in the Keystone State, which has traditionally not been very pro-gambling over the years.

Pennsylvania is one of the most liberal states when it comes to online gambling today, with more than a dozen different operators offering some form of online gambling. Whether you are looking to bet on sports, play poker, or enjoy casino games, there are legal options you can choose from.

Along with these, there are many illegal offshore gambling sites which operate in the state despite not having a license to do so. These operators are to be avoided for a number of reasons. Primarily, offshore operators are not obligated under any law to pay your winnings or keep your personal information private, which can lead to a whole lot of trouble for you as their customer.

On the other hand, legal gambling sites in PA are obligated by their license to keep their customers’ information 100% safe and secure, process all deposits and cashouts in a most private and secure manner, and always pay all cashout requests within a reasonable timeframe.

If you run into any trouble while playing at legal PA online gambling sites, you will be able to file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) if the operator does not address the issue in time. On the other hand, such complaints against offshore operators are completely useless, as the Board has no legal jurisdiction over them.

Finally, the legal gambling sites in Pennsylvania pay their taxes within the state and employ local personnel, which means that they are good for Pennsylvania economy. Taxes that the gambling sites pay go towards a number of socially beneficial causes, while offshore sites tend to pay minimal taxes and only enrich their owners even when not engaging in fraudulent activities.

How to Know if a Pennsylvania Online Gambling Site is Legal, Regulated, and Safe?

You now know the main reasons you should be playing at regulated and legal sites, but how exactly can you tell licensed PA sites from offshore ones? The signs are quite clear, so here is what you should be looking out for:

  • The Regulator’s Seal: The best way to tell if an online casino, sportsbook, or poker site is licensed to offer services in PA is to look for a Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) seal in the footer of the operator’s site. If you find the seal, click on it, and it should lead you to the PGCB website where you will get confirmation of the gaming license.
  • US Owned and Operated: All gambling sites licensed for operation in the Keystone State have to be operated from within the US. This means you will be able to find their address on the website and confirm that the site is run by an American company and within the confines of the US law.
  • Partnered with PA Casinos: At this time, the only way to receive a gaming license in Pennsylvania is to partner up with one of the live casinos in the state. All online operators with PGCB licenses are running on behalf of one of the major casinos you can visit within the state.
  • Geolocation: A gambling site licensed in PA will only allow players who are physically present within the state to play for real money. The geolocation tracking software is a good sign that a site is truly regulated, as offshore sites accept action from just about anyone.
  • Reputation: The major gambling operators who have a licence in PA run under reputable names such as BetMGM, partypoker, or DraftKings. These brands are so well-known in the gambling industry, that you should be able to quickly recognize them. You can rest assured that these big name companies will not accept PA players’ action unless they have the proper licensing.
  • Customer Support: The best PA gambling sites all offer customer support at the highest level. You will be able to contact the site via email, telephone, and live chat, and should receive a timely response from professional staff.
  • Loyalty Programs: Some offshore sites run loyalty schemes of their own, but these never offer the kind of value you will find at the best regulated sites. The loyalty schemes of the leading PA gambling operators offer amazing value and are easy to use and understand.

Important Information When Choosing an Online Gambling Site in Pennsylvania

With Pennsylvania offering so many legal online gambling options, you will need to choose which site you want to play on. A number of important criteria can play a role in this decision, including those that have to do with site usability, and those related to the sheer value of picking a particular site. These are a few of the key aspects to look at.

Pennsylvania Online Gambling Welcome Bonuses

A welcome bonus is usually one of the most powerful promotional tools that an online gambling provider will have. Welcome bonuses are highly lucrative for the players, as they add a great amount of value on the first deposit made at a certain site.

In Pennsylvania, all legal gambling operators will give you a welcome bonus on your first deposit. Depending on the type of gambling you want to engage in, you could be looking at up to $1,000 in bonus gambling money you can receive from your operator. The one thing we can suggest is to take advantage of as many welcome bonuses as you can to maximize your value when playing online gambling games.

Gambling Promotions in Pennsylvania

Welcome bonuses are only available once, but that does not mean that the top PA gambling sites don’t have plenty more value in store for you. In fact, each sportsbook and casino in the state runs a number of regular promotions, which offer a great deal of value to existing players who have already claimed their welcome bonuses.

Promotional offers include free spins for slot players, free bets for sports bettors, and bonuses for poker players, along with plenty of other promos. These can be used by all PA players, and we highly recommend being on the lookout for the top promotional offers across all the sites if you want to get the most bang for your buck.

Pennsylvania Customer Loyalty Programs

Welcome bonuses and promotions give amazing value, especially for casual players who like to play from time to time. The more hardcore fans and professional poker players, on the other hand, might be more interested in the benefits offered by the VIP loyalty schemes at PA gambling sites.

The loyalty schemes award the most loyal of players with valuable prizes for their time and dedication. Staying loyal to a single site will get you upgraded through the VIP levels, increasing the value of the kickback you get from the sites. The more you play, the more you will get from the loyalty schemes at the top Pennsylvania gambling sites.

Mobile Gambling in Pennsylvania

One of the biggest perks of being able to gamble online is that PA gambling operators offer mobile apps, which you can play on anytime and anyplace. You can now download your PA gambling app to your mobile phone, with both Android and iOS operated devices supported in full. This means online casino games, poker, and sports betting have never been more accessible in your life.

Game Selection and Navigation

The final thing you should look at while picking your online gambling operator should be the quality of the platform itself. Fortunately, the operators with licenses in PA all offer premium gambling platforms, optimized to work on all devices, and with a huge number of customization options.

When it comes to game selection, the leading PA gambling sites offer hundreds of casino games, including slots and table games from leading software developers in America. Online poker sites offer a wide variety of tournament and cash game tables, giving all players a chance to play their game of choice. Finally, the online sportsbooks in PA allow for a massive range of bets, including a variety of sports and betting markets from across the world.

Pennsylvania Gaming Regulator Information

All sports betting, casino gaming, and poker games in Pennsylvania are regulated by the state’s top regulatory body, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). The Board issues licenses to operators who meet the requirements and oversees their work from every angle.

The biggest upside of having a regulator on the state level is that PGCB licensed sites are all 100% secure and there is no risk of getting defrauded or stolen from when playing at these sites. On the other hand, all sites that don’t have a proper license from the Board are a great risk to the players.

Acquiring a license from the PGCB is not a simple feat either, which ensures that only operators who are serious about business can acquire them. In order to get licensed, operators in Pennsylvania must partner up with a local casino and request a license jointly with the partner.

Players who play at regulated casinos can look to the Gaming Control Board to help them with any problems that arise while playing at licensed sites. This includes any disputes about cashouts, bonuses, or otherwise.

In order to reach out to the PGCB and file a complaint against any regulated site, you can follow this link straight to their website:

https://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/files/bie/Complaint_Form.pdf

If you want to write to the commission in person, you can do so at P.O. Box 69060, Harrisburg, PA 17106-9060.

History of Pennsylvania Online Gambling Regulation

Looking at the Keystone State today, one would assume it was always one of the more liberal and progressive in terms of gambling. However, this is certainly not the case, as Pennsylvania used to almost completely ban all forms of gambling in the not-so-distant past.

In 2004, Pennsylvania passed the Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act, which set the foundation for modern gambling in the state. This Act established the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and allowed for first live gambling in the state. The first racecourses were founded in 2009, and they offered slots and other games. The revenue quickly soared and the legislators saw that gambling was good for the state coffers.

It took some time before other forms of gambling were allowed. In 2017, HB 271 was adopted and signed by Governor Tom Wolf. This Bill allowed for an expansion of casino gambling, and the first online gambling sites as well. Once PASPA was repealed, there was no further stopping online sports betting, and online casinos and poker joined the expansion in summer and winter of 2019.

Responsible Gambling Resources in Pennsylvania

Problem gambling is certainly an issue that needs to be taken seriously, with millions of people around the world suffering from an addiction to gambling. In Pennsylvania, both the regulators and the operators take this problem with utmost seriousness, offering many responsible gambling incentives and resources to the players.

The biggest promoter of responsible gambling in PA is certainly the PGCB, whose mission is to keep players safe from any harm that may come to them as a result of gambling, both live and online. This means a dedication to responsible gambling is a part of their mission. The Board does this by offering the self-exclusion list, which allows players to exclude themselves from all action in live and online betting venues throughout the state.

Apart from the Board, a number of other organizations can help those who have a problem remaining safe while gambling online, including the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania, which works closely with Gamblers Anonymous to provide all players with the help they might need.

You can also look to the following numbers and addresses for help with responsible gambling practices:

Gambler’s Anonymous
International Service Office
1-626-960-3500
www.gamblersanonymous.org

National Council on Problem Gambling
1-800-522-4700
www.ncpgambling.org

Gam-Anon
International Service Office
1-718-352-1671
www.gam-anon.org

International Center for Responsible Gaming
978-338-6610
https://www.icrg.org/

Land Based Gambling Available in Pennsylvania

  • Lady Luck Casino at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort – 4067 National Pike, Farmington, PA 15437
  • Meadows Casino – 210 Racetrack Rd., Washington, PA 15301
  • Rivers Casino Pittsburgh – 77 Casino Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15212
  • Harrah’s Philadelphia – 777 Harrah’s Blvd., Chester, PA 19013
  • Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course – 777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville, PA 17028
  • Mohegan Sun Casino – 1280 PA-315, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
  • Mount Airy Casino – 312 Woodland Rd., Mt. Pocono, PA 18344
  • Parx Casino – 2999 Street Rd., Bensalem, PA 19020
  • Parx Casino Shippensburg – 250 Conestoga Dr., Shippensburg, PA 17257
  • Presque Isle Downs Casino – 8199 Perry Hwy., Erie, PA 16509
  • Wind Creek Casino and Resort – 77 Sands Blvd., Bethlehem, PA 18015
  • Rivers Casino Philadelphia – 1001 N. Delaware Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125
  • Valley Forge Casino – 1160 1st Ave., King of Prussia, PA 19406

FAQ

Can I legally gamble in Pennsylvania?

Yes! All forms of gambling are legally available in PA now, with live and online casinos, poker, and sports betting all regulated, alongside the state-run Pennsylvania Lottery.

Which forms of online gambling are available in Pennsylvania?

Legal gambling options in Pennsylvania include online sports betting, online casinos, online poker, and the state lottery. You can also enjoy daily fantasy sports which are considered a skill game.

Am I allowed to gamble on my PA gambling account outside of the state?

No! Your PA online gambling accounts are only valid for real money gambling while you are physically present within the state, and they will not work once you leave Pennsylvania.

Can I gamble online in PA if I am only visiting?

Yes! Visitors to the state of Pennsylvania can legally gamble at licensed online sites, provided they create an account and provide all their real personal information, including a valid residence.

I am planning a visit to Pennsylvania. Can I set up my account beforehand?

You can! Access to PA online gambling sites is not restricted to the state, and you can access the sites and create your account from just about anywhere. You will only be able to play for real money once you are within PA borders.

What is the minimum age requirement to gamble in Pennsylvania?

The minimum gambling age in Pennsylvania is the same as the rest of the US, set at 21 years of age for all commercial gambling properties, both live and online.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling (VACPG) helpline at 1-888-532-3500

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