PA online gambling options number in the double-digits and are still not done expanding. From online casinos to sports betting and online poker, it’s all within your fingertips if you live in Pennsylvania.
With so many sites to choose from, we’re here to help you decide what PA gambling apps are best suited for your tastes. Read on for a full guide to PA online gambling and the best sign-up offers in the state.
PA casinos offering online gambling
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), there are now 11 stand-alone and racetrack casinos, two smaller resort casinos, and three Category 4 “mini-casinos” operating inside the state.
Ten PA casinos are eligible now to offer online slots and online table games as well as online sports betting. Several also opted for the trio of online gambling licenses that includes online poker, which came at a discounted price of $10 million instead of $12 million ($4 million for each separate license).
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Mount Airy Casino Resort
- Rivers Philadelphia (formerly SugarHouse Casino)
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- Parx Casino
- Live! Philadelphia Casino (opened Jan. 2021)
- Mohegan Pennsylvania
- Wind Creek (formerly Sands Bethlehem)
- Presque Isle Downs
PA gambling options still expanding in 2023
PA is already home to 18 online casinos and 14 online sportsbooks but there could be more than ten additional sites to launch in PA in the coming months, according to the PGCB Annual Report. Several casino and sports betting sites have applications that are “pending” while others are still in the application process.
As the PGCB approves new brands, the online gambling industry will continue to grow in PA, which means more competition and potentially better offerings and promos for customers. Among the new betting brands looking to launch in PA are WynnBet, Golden Nugget, Fanatics, PlayStar and Fubo.
More PA mini-casinos and retail sportsbooks also coming soon
Three mini-casinos are now open in PA (Hollywood Casino York, Hollywood Morgantown and Live! Pittsburgh) and two more are still to come. Parx Casino looks to open a second location in Shippensburg in early 2023, and Bally’s hopes to enter the market with a mini-casino in State College if it can gain approval.
Each of these new properties will be able to open a retail sportsbook, which also sets the stage for Bally’s to snag a seat at the table for its Bally Bet brand.
Online sports betting will have more opportunities, too. In addition to two new retail sportsbooks, the PGCB said in their report that “several online sports wagering sites are expected to launch” sometime in 2023.
Latest Pennsylvania online gambling news
Pennsylvania Tops New Jersey Again As Nation’s Online Casino Revenue Leader With $138 Million April
Former Teacher Banned From PA Casinos For Leaving Toddler Unattended
PA Online Gaming Operators Fined $60,000 For Responsible Gambling Errors
PA Lottery Debuts New Games And A Spring Second Chance Drawing
Top 5 PA online gambling rewards programs
Most PA casinos now offer rewards programs that link up across their land-based casinos and online gambling sites. Loyal players can now earn free play, cash, prizes, and other rewards in exchange for playing at online casinos and sports betting apps. Here is our list of the best 5 PA gambling rewards programs to check out:
- BetMGM Rewards (BetMGM Casinos and Sportsbook, MGM Resorts Locations)
- Caesars Rewards (Caesars Online and Harrah’s Philadelphia)
- Rush Rewards (Rivers, SugarHouse and BetRivers)
- MyChoice Rewards (Hollywood Casino)
- DraftKings Dynasty Rewards (DraftKings Sportsbook & Casino)
Online sports betting rules and regulations in PA?
PA online sportsbooks are heavily regulated, just like online casino and poker games. The good news is that Pennsylvania residents and visitors can wager on any professional, collegiate or international sporting event. The only requirements are:
- Be at least 21 years or older.
- Be physically within Pennsylvania state lines.
- Wager on an approved, regulated Pennsylvania site.
- Betting only allowed on sporting events (between the field of play).
So, non-sports events, such as the Academy Awards or political elections, are not permitted for betting in PA.
Additionally, people who are intrinsically involved with a particular sport cannot wager upon it. So, players, officials, coaches, and other sports personnel cannot place bets on their own sports.
Concerning online casinos, most people can play without any restriction. Adults who are at least 21 years old are welcome to take part.
However, there is absolutely no online casino play allowed across state lines. The sites use geolocation software to monitor every player’s physical location. You must enable this function on your mobile device or you won’t be allowed to play.
The other exception is people who have placed themselves on the self-exclusion list. There is a separate self-exclusion list in Pennsylvania specifically for online play.
Unfortunately, gambling addiction is a real problem, and online casinos are careful not to exacerbate the issue for people who are in recovery.
Online lottery games in Pennsylvania
As part of the gambling expansion law, the state legalized PA online lottery. Pennsylvania’s iLottery launched in 2017 with a dozen or so online instant games.
These online instant games are like a scratch-off ticket you would buy at the store, but more interactive. Online instants often include bonus games in addition to the scratch-off component, allowing you to multiply your winnings on each ticket.
As part of the rollout, the PA Lottery also introduced a revamped PA Lottery mobile app. You can use the app to play instant games, check winning numbers, and scan your draw tickets to find out if you have a winner.
PA lottery players can even purchase Mega Millions, Powerball and other draw game tickets online through the iLottery platform.
Online poker options in Pennsylvania
Several of the top online gambling apps in PA also offer poker apps for free download on Android and Apple (iOS). The first online poker site to go live in the state was PokerStars PA when it fully launched on Nov. 6, 2019. The global poker brand is offered in conjunction with its land-based counterpart Mount Airy Casino Resort.
There are four PA online poker sites now live, with potentially three more on the way.
BetMGM Poker and Borgata Poker sites share a player pool with each other, both operating on the partypoker US network. Casinos still eligible to launch an online poker room in Pennsylvania include:
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- Parx Casino
- Wind Creek Casino
Among the online poker sites that could still launch in PA are Run It Once Poker, 888 poker, partypoker and GGpoker. For those who prefer to play at the live tables, nine Pennsylvania casinos have poker rooms.
Responsible gambling tools and resources for Pennsylvania players
Another great asset in a regulated online casino market is the array of responsible gambling tools at a player’s disposal.
In Pennsylvania, there is a separate self-exclusion list managed by PGCB. Players who want to ban themselves from playing on any regulated PA online casino can do so through them. This list is separate from the brick-and-mortar self-exclusion list.
Additionally, many online sites, both sports betting and casino, offer means of controlling your play with things like:
- Deposit limits
- Betting limits
- Time limitations
- Cooling off periods
If you want other resources to address problem gambling, consider: