Are Online Casinos Legal in Pennsylvania?
Online casino gaming became legal in the Keystone State in October 2017, when Governor Tom Wolf signed a major gambling expansion bill (HB 271) into law. It took almost two years for the first online casino sites to arrive, with the Parx Online, Hollywood and PlaySugarHouse online casinos launching in July 2019. PokerStars and Unibet followed suit later in the year, while BetAmerica, BetRivers, and others joined in 2020 and beyond.
The slow but successful launch of online gambling in Pennsylvania has seen the state’s gambling market grow into one of the country’s largest, behind only Nevada. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) issues the appropriate licenses to casinos, meaning you can concentrate on enjoying an online gaming experience that’s as safe as it is fun.
Out Top Online Casinos in Pennsylvania
FanDuel
When you sign up to FanDuel you will have the chance to claim 100% back on all your losses from your first day’s play. This promotion gives you a margin of loss up to $1000, which you can claim back as site credits. At FanDuel, there’s also a broad range of casino games for you to play, from American Roulette, Multihand Blackjack and Casino Hold’em Poker. The live casino offering is also extensive, with 10 different live blackjack tables available for you to play at.
BetMGM
The BetMGM site is one of the best designed, making it easy to find your favorite games from the casino homepage. There is a broad selection of table games available to play from some top software providers, including Black and Yellow Roulette, Premier Blackjack Pro, and Jacks or Better Video Poker. Slots players can get to grips with an extensive selection of games, including fan-favorites like Gonzo’s Quest from NetEnt and Temple of Fire from IGT. There is also an enormous jackpot slots collection for players to sink their teeth into with jackpots ranging as high as $500,000 at the time of writing.
DraftKings
New players at DraftKings can claim a 100% matched deposit up to $2000 when they make their first deposit, and what’s more, the playthrough requirements are a reasonable 15x the value of the original deposit and bonus amount. Players can make use of over 400 slot games from software houses such as IGT, NetEnt, and Microgaming. There’s also a range of DraftKing exclusive games to play, including Retro Blackjack and Three Card Showdown.
BetRivers
You can search for your favorite slot games by software provider at Betrivers, making it easier to filter through its extensive game collection from some of the top software houses in the world, including Scientific Gaming, IGT, and Lightning. There are some excellent live dealer games, including First Person Blackjack and First Person Roulette from Evolution, but slot games are where BetRivers excels. Well-known classics, such as Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen and Wings of Ra are available to try out, as well as newer titles like Jin Ji Bao Xi Megaways and Parthenon: Quest for Immortality.
How we Review Online Casinos in Pennsylvania
There are several factors in our review process. Here are the most important features we look out for when searching for the best PA casinos.
Broad Range of Games
The best PA online casinos provide players with a wide array of options, including table game classics like blackjack, poker, and roulette as well as online slots. We love seeing a diverse collection of games from different software houses too, such as Evolution Gaming, Microgaming and NetEnt.
Fast Payout Times
Top online Pennsylvania casinos offer players a wide selection of banking options to both deposit and withdraw their funds. We look out for casinos that offer fast payouts, with some casinos allowing players to access their cash in as little as 24 hours for users of e-wallets such as PayPal and Skrill.
High-Quality Bonuses
Bonuses are a great way to try out your new casino, as you’ll often be using free bet stakes, rather than real money. Some casinos offer large bonus sums to new players, however, we review the terms and conditions to determine the quality of a bonus. We prefer bonuses that feature player-friendly playthrough requirements that give gamblers a fair chance of winning real money. In addition to reviewing the sign up bonus, we also look out for rewards for loyal customers – the best casinos offer regular promotions and loyalty programs for existing players.
Good Customer Service
We’ve done our best to find the best Pennsylvania casinos around, but that doesn’t mean you won’t run into any issues. That’s why it’s important that a site offers high-quality customer service should anything go wrong. You should be able to get in touch with the best sites casinos via phone, email, live chat, or even social media in some instances.
Which Casino Games can I Play in Pennsylvania?
Online casinos in Pennsylvania offer a range of classic table games, video poker and modern slots. Let’s look at some of the key games played across the Keystone State.
Slots
From classic three-reel slots to the latest payline-packed titles, to progressive jackpot games with large prize pots, there’s a huge range of slot games to play in Pennsylvania. PA online casinos and mobile casino apps boast hundreds of free play and premium online slots titles, including Playtech’s Goblin’s Cave and the IGT classic, Double Diamond.
Blackjack
A deceptively simple game played with up to eight decks of cards, blackjack has entertained card players for centuries and remains one of the most popular table games at online Pennsylvania casinos. Whether you’re heading to the local casino floor or reaching for your mobile to play at the best Pennsylvania online casinos, the aim of the game is to get as close to 21 without exceeding that number. Luck is certainly involved in blackjack, but it’s a great choice if you prefer casino games where a little strategy goes a long way.
Roulette
A popular fixture at land-based casinos, roulette comes in several varieties. Most PA casinos offer American and European roulette, while there will also be interesting variations like Double Bonus Spin Roulette, Three Wheel Roulette, and Lightning Roulette. Few games bring with them quite as many different betting options. Whether you like to play things safer with outside bets like red or black, or prefer to put your money on individual numbers for greater potential rewards, the choice is yours.
Poker
Poker is one of the more popular games that you can play at an online Pennsylvania casino. There’s a range of variations you can get to grips with from Three Card Poker to Omaha, to the most commonly found format, Texas Hold’em. You can even play live online poker games at some top Pennsylvania casinos, for a more immersive gambling experience.
Craps
Craps is an incredibly simple online casino game where the aim is simply to guess the outcome of a pair of dice. It is this simplicity that often draws in players, as there is no strategy or skill necessary to succeed at this game. The fast-paced nature of the game and variety of bet options also makes craps one of the most dynamic casino games out there.
Try Out a Live PA Online Casino
There’s no denying the unique feeling that comes from entering a bricks-and-mortar casino. Playing live dealer games online is the next best thing, allowing you to soak up the atmosphere of live blackjack, roulette, baccarat and other games from the comfort of your own home. Pennsylvania online casinos, including BetRivers and DraftKings, offer live casino games which stream the action from custom-designed studios, where smartly-attired staff deal real cards and spin real roulette wheels for an authentic casino experience. What’s more, live casinos also offer players the opportunity to speak with one another using a live chat service, which adds a social element to the already immersive experience.
Top Casino Promotions at Pennsylvania Casinos
Almost every casino rewards new players with a sign-up bonus. We’ve explained how the most common bonuses work to help make choosing your next online casino a breeze.
Matched Deposit Bonus
Matched deposits are often given as welcome bonuses to new players and can be claimed following a first deposit. When you make your first payment, it will be matched up to a certain amount by the casino, giving you extra funds to play with. Matched deposit bonuses commonly look like 100% up to $200, which means that if you make a deposit of $200 or lower, then the casino will double it. These bonus deals will come with terms and conditions such as playthrough requirements, however, which will impact how much you have to wager before you can claim any bonus funds. These terms can be found in the bonus terms and conditions.
Free Spins
A free spins bonus gives players free funds to use on a selected range of slot games, making it the perfect bonus for fans of titles such as The Dark Knight, Starburst and Da Vinci Diamonds. These promotions can be claimed as a welcome bonus and are sometimes attached to other promotions like matched deposits. Existing players can claim free spin promotions too, giving them extra incentive to stick with a site. Keep an eye out for the terms and conditions attached to these bonuses, such as games restrictions which will limit your use of free spins to a select number of titles.
No Deposit Bonus
Some Pennsylvania casinos offer promotions that players can claim without making a single deposit. This means that you can claim bonus funds from your chosen casino without having to deposit any real money. Bear in mind, however, that the bonus amount on offer will be pretty small. Nonetheless, these promotions are great if you’re getting to grips with a new site and would like some free funds to try out the various games on offer.
Top Mobile Casinos in PA
The best Pennsylvania online casinos provide players with a first-class mobile gambling experience. This often includes a native app that you can download to your mobile device. You can deposit and withdraw casino funds, play a range of games and claim bonuses all from the palm of your hand. In addition, you can also turn on push notifications to keep you up to date on the latest bonuses and promotions offered by your chosen casino. Alternatively, virtually every Pennsylvania casino offers a mobile-compatible website that players can use. But for the best handheld experience, we would recommend signing up to a site that offers a native app.
Banking Methods at Pennsylvania Casinos
Finding a casino that allows you to use your preferred payment method to pay and cash out is of paramount importance. Let’s have a look at some of the key banking options available to you at online casinos in Pennsylvania.
E-wallets
E-wallets are the perfect banking option for players looking for rapid withdrawal speeds. Methods such as PayPal, Skrill and Neteller provide casino players with instant deposits and withdrawals in as little as 24 hours in some cases. Some e-wallets will come with transaction fees attached, however, so make sure you read the terms and conditions of any banking method you sign up to.
Debit and Credit Cards
Pretty much everyone has access to a debit or credit card. With no need to sign up for a new account, this is the most accessible option for most Pennsylvania casino players. Deposits using a debit or credit card are almost always instant and each transaction is protected using your bank’s own data encryption software. Bear in mind, however, that some casinos such as DraftKings won’t let you withdraw using either debit or credit cards, so make sure that your playing at a casino that will allow you to deposit and claim funds using two separate methods.
Online Banking
You can use methods such as ACE/eCheck, Online Bill Pay and VIP Preferred to deposit and withdraw funds into your casino account using bank transfers. This will be a familiar process to many online players, but be aware that withdrawals made using bank transfers can sometimes take five working days to process.
Playing at a Bricks-And-Mortar Casino
Pennsylvania is home to a wide selection of brick-and-mortar casinos. These include racinos, where customers enjoy a combination of horse racing and traditional casino games, standalone casinos, and resort-style casinos. Let’s look at places to gamble in person in the Keystone State.
CASINO |
ADDRESS |
Harrah’s Philadelphia |
777 Harrah’s Blvd, Chester, PA 19013 |
Hollywood Casino at Penn National |
777 Hollywood Blvd, Grantville, PA 17028 |
The Meadows Racetrack and Casino |
210 Racetrack Rd, Washington, PA 15301 |
Mohegan Sun Pocono |
1280 Pennsylvania 315, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 |
Parx Casino |
2999 Street Rd, Bensalem, PA 19020 |
Presque Isle Downs |
8199 Perry Hwy, Erie, PA 16509 |
Wind Creek (formerly Sands Bethlehem) |
77 Wind Creek Blvd, Bethlehem, PA 18015 |
Rivers Casino |
777 Casino Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 |
Sugarhouse Casino |
1001 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125 |
Mount Airy Casino Resort |
312 Woodland Rd, Mt Pocono, PA 18344 |
Live! Philadelphia Casino Hotel |
900 Packer Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148 |
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin |
4067 National Pike Farmington, PA 15437 |
Valley Forge Casino Resort |
1160 1st Ave, King of Prussia, PA 19406 |
Problem Gambling Support in Pennsylvania
Whether you prefer Pennsylvania online casinos or in-person play, it’s important to remember that gambling is supposed to be a form of entertainment. It is therefore important to ensure you gamble responsibly and never wager more than you can afford to lose.
If you, or a loved one, are struggling with a gambling problem, helpful resources are available at a state and national level. You might also consider requesting self-exclusion from all forms of in-person and online gambling in the state via the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
You can contact the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania via:
Phone: 1-800-GAMBLER®
Their contact address is: Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania, PO Box 444, Spring House, PA 19477-0444
You can contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline via:
Phone/Text: 1-800-522-4700 (24/7)
Their contact address is: National Council on Problem Gambling, 730 11th St, NW, Ste 601, Washington, DC 20001
The Journey to Legal and Regulated Online Casino Gambling in Pennsylvania
1959 – The first opportunity for legal gambling in Pennsylvania surfaces with the passing of the Race Horse Industry Reform Act.
1963 – The Meadows Racetrack opens in North Strabane Township. It is still in operation today, though it now offers casino gaming alongside horse racing.
2004 – PA lawmakers pass the Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act, creating three categories of PA casino licenses and legalizing slot machines at up to 14 locations, including existing racetracks and new land casinos. The Act also creates the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
2006 – Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs opens in Wilkes-Barre. It is the state’s first legal slots casino and still operates today as the Mohegan Sun Pocono.
2010 – Amendments to the Racehorse Development and Gaming Act allow licensed facilities to operate table games such as blackjack and baccarat.
2017 – The state passes a far-reaching gambling expansion package (HB 271), authorizing iGaming in PA.
2019 – The PlaySugarHouse, Hollywood and Parx Online casinos launch in July. PokerStars PA follows.
2020 – Evolution partners with DraftKings and others to offer live dealer games at Pennsylvania online casinos.
For more updates on online casino gambling in Pennsylvania, be sure to check back with Compare.bet.
Ready to Try Out a Pennsylvania Online Casino?
Now that you know how to find the best online casinos in Pennsylvania, you should be ready to sign up to your favorite. Check out our in-depth reviews, read up on the latest welcome bonuses and dig through games libraries to find the one that is right for you!
In addition to in-person and online casino gambling, Pennsylvanians can enjoy poker games, bingo games, lottery games, sports betting and daily fantasy sports (DFS) betting.
Just like live casinos in PA, their online counterparts offer several payment options. You can usually deposit real money to a Pennsylvania online casino account via e-wallets like PayPal, ACH transfers, as well as debit cards and credit cards such as those issued by Visa and Mastercard.
Yes, you’ll find a wide range of casino bonuses available at Pennsylvania online casinos. A new player at an online casino may be provided with a no deposit bonus, matched deposit bonus, and free spins. Online casino bonus offers for existing customers include deposit match promos and reload bonus codes. In all cases, remember to check the small print for things like eligible deposit methods and wagering requirements.
This is can be pretty subjective. The best Pennsylvania casino apps for, say, online poker rooms include BetMGM and PokerStars PA. Caesars, meanwhile, is very popular with slots fans. Be sure to check whether your mobile device meets the minimum system requirements. You can find these listed in the App Store for iOS devices and the Play Store for Androids.
No, you can open a new account or manage an existing one whether you live in Pennsylvania or not. However, just like residents, you will need to be inside state lines to gamble on either a browser-based casino site or mobile casino app. Online gambling sites and mobile apps use geolocation technology to ensure players can’t bend the rules.
Online gambling in Pennsylvania is regulated by the Pennsylvania Gambling Control Board. The PGCB grants licenses to individual casinos and ensure these sites follow Pennsylvania’s gambling laws, providing a safe and secure gambling environment for players.
Yes, you can. Sports betting was legalized in Pennsylvania in 2018 following the repeal of PAPSA. The first two licenses went to Greenwood Gaming at the Parx Casino and Penn National Gaming at the Hollywood Casino. Now, however, there’s a range of other sportsbooks that players can sign up to in Pennsylvania, including SugarHouse, FoxBet and DraftKings.
Gambling may be legal in Pennsylvania, but only at a casino within state boundaries. Geolocation technology stops you from gambling at a Pennsylvania casino from outside state lines. This does not, however, stop you from signing up to an online Pennsylvania casino account from wherever you are in the world.
See our references & visit related external links
Please note that Compare.bet is not responsible for the content of third-party websites.
- paypal.com – ‘PayPal Help Guides’
- pacouncil.com – ‘Helpline’
- responsibleplay.pa.gov – ‘Self-Exclusion’
- ncpcgambling.com – ‘Pennsylvania’