Pennsylvania Gambling Guide
Pennsylvania introduced gambling in the form of state lottery in the 1970s which was initially managed by the government. The passing of the lottery bill led to several attempts by legislators to pass bills that would legalize riverboat and casino gambling but without much success.
The state finally legalized gambling through Act 71 in 2004. Act 71 (also known as the Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act) legalized casinos and racetracks within the state while also establishing the Gaming Control Board.
ACT 71 basically only legalized slot machines while table games were legalized in 2010. This development is great for the state as it generates more jobs and increases tax revenue.
Online Gambling in Pennsylvania
Governor Tom Wolf legalized online gambling in late 2017 by signing off on House Bill 271 which expands the growing industry and makes Pennsylvania the fourth state in the country to have online gambling.
The state legalized all forms of online gambling, including casinos, poker, sports betting, and daily fantasy sports. All live and online gambling is regulated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Types of gambling available in Pennsylvania
| Type of Gambling | Legalized | Description |
|---|
| Casino Gambling | ✅ Yes | There are currently 12 fully licensed casinos in the State offering table games and slots. One of the casinos is run by an Indian tribe (the Mohegan Sun) |
| Live Poker | ✅ Yes | Live poker players can pick between 10 different live poker rooms across the state |
| Live Sports Betting | ✅ Yes | Sports betting is legalized in the state of Pennsylvania and there are currently eight operators accepting sports betting |
| Lottery Gaming | ✅ Yes | The lottery is legal and has been since the 1970s |
| Bingo Gaming | ✅ Yes | Bingo games are legalized in the state |
| Online Casino | ✅ Yes | Online casino gambling was legalized in late 2017. Several operators are currently in the process of rolling out their online gambling operation which is expected to happen in Q2 2019 |
| Online Poker | ✅ Yes | Online poker was legalized in late 2017. Several operators are currently in the process of rolling out their online gambling operation which is expected to happen in Q2 2019 |
| Online Sports Betting | ✅ Yes | Online sports betting was legalized in late 2017. Several operators are currently in the process of rolling out their online gambling operation which is expected to happen in Q2 2019 |
| Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) | ✅ Yes | DFS was legalized in late 2017 along with other online gambling. Regulated DFS was officially launched in the state in May of 2018 |
List of casinos and sportsbooks with estimated launch dates in Pennsylvania
| Operator | Online Partner | Online Casino | Online Poker | Retail Sports Betting | Online Sports Betting |
|---|
| Presque Isle Downs | Golden Nugget | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ❌ No | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) |
| Parx | GAN | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ✅ Launched | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) |
| Rivers | SugarHouse / Rush Street | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ✅ Launched | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) |
| Mt. Airy Casino Resort | BetStars | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ⏳ Pending | ❌ N/A |
| Meadowlands | FanDuel | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ✅ Launched | ❌ N/A |
| Hollywood at Penn National | IGT | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ✅ Launched | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) |
| Mohegan Sun Pocono | Kindred | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ⏳ Pending | ❌ N/A |
| Sands | N/A | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A |
| SugarHouse | Rush Street | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ✅ Launched | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) |
| Harrah’s Philadelphia | 888 | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) | ✅ Launched | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) |
| South Philadelphia Turf Club | N/A | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ✅ Launched | ❌ N/A |
| Valley Forge Casino | FanDuel | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ✅ Launched | ⏳ Mid-year 2019 (est.) |
| Valley Forge Turf Club | N/A | ❌ N/A | ❌ N/A | ✅ Launched | ❌ N/A |
Pennsylvania Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)
Since the legalization of Daily Fantasy Sports in May of 2018, eight different operators have opened up shop in Pennsylvania generating additional tax revenue for the state.
It comes as no surprise that FanDuel and DraftKings market shares are significantly larger than the remaining operators but nevertheless, they are still in the market to challenge these two big operators.
The DFS operators are taxed at 15% which is significantly lower than the 36% casino, poker and sports betting operators will have to fork up to operate in the sixth most populous state in the country.
- Boom Fantasy
- DRAFT
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- Fantasy Football Players Championship
- FastPick
- Sports Hub
- Yahoo Fantasy
- Scout Fantasy Sports
It’s an intimidating list but after reading this, you’re going to be a bonus connoisseur who never makes a bad decision on a bonus again.
Pennsylvania Gambling Timeline
What I just said may sound too good to be true and the casinos are crazy to let you do that for “free” but when it comes to bonuses you’re not the only one gambling, the operators are too…
1970s
- Pennsylvania legislature creates the lottery and begins the operation
- Daily number games begin to operate in the state
- Penn National Race Course opened its doors in 1972 while Philadelphia Park opened its operation in 1974
- Daily Numbers game began operation in 1977
2000s
- Pennsylvania begins participating in the Powerball by joining the Multi-State Lottery Association in 2002
- Racehorse Development and Gaming Act passed in 2004 which created the racetrack casinos, slot parlors, and casino resorts
- Several casinos began operation
- Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs opens (November 14, 2004)
- Philadelphia Park Casino and Racetrack opens (December 19, 2006)
- Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack opens (January 23, 2007)
- Presque Isle Downs and Casino opens (February 28, 2007)
- The Meadows Racetrack and Casino opens (June 11, 2007)
- Mount Airy Casino Resort opens (October 22, 2007)
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National opens (February 12, 2008)
- Sands Bethlehem opens (May 22, 2009)
- The Rivers casino opens (August 9, 2009)
2010 - 2013
- Pennsylvania legalized table games in (July 2010)
- SugarHouse Casino opens (September 23, 2010)
- Valley Forge Casino opens (March 31, 2012)
- Nemacolin Casino opens (July 1, 2013)
2017
- Governor Tom Wolf signed House Bill 271 at the end of 2017 which legalized all online gambling
2018
- The United States Supreme Court dismissed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in May of 2018.
- The Supreme Court ruled (6-3) that PASPA was entirely unconstitutional and determined that the states can make their own determination about legalizing gambling. This was a huge win for the entire gambling industry
2019
- Several casinos applied for online gambling licenses and are in full speed to roll out their operations sometime in the middle of 2019
Pennsylvania Online gambling and sportsbetting FAQ
Yes, we solely partner with and promote licensed operators in the state. We do not promote offshore operators.
No, you do not have to be a resident. You can gamble at the various online gambling operators as long as you are physically within the state borders.
Yes, you have to be 21 years old to gamble except for lottery and Daily Fantasy Sports where the legal age is 18.
Casino, poker, sports betting, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), race tracks and lottery.
No, not that we are aware of. Make sure to follow the policy of the legalized operators.
Yes, there are 12 casino operators in the state.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Check out the reviews section of our website which will give you a comprehensive look at current Pennsylvania licensed operators and guide you to the best one that fits your needs.
