The legality of Online Gambling in Pennsylvania

Today, Pennsylvania online gambling is completely legal. In October 2017, Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf signed House Bill 271. The landmark legislation authorized retail and online sports betting, online poker, and online casinos in Pennsylvania. Daily Fantasy Sports contests were officially authorized as part of the bill, too, though operators had already been offering DFS in the state for some time.

Pennsylvania online sports betting kicked off in May 2019 with PlaySugarHouse. Since then, multiple sportsbooks have launched in the Keystone State.

Pennsylvania online casino gaming followed in July 2019, and poker was only a few months behind when it launched in November 2019.

The regulation of online gambling in Pennsylvania brought games from some of the world’s biggest online casino developers to the state. Names like Microgaming, NetEnt, Scientific Games, and many others have since joined the fray to offer quality online casino games to Pennsylvania.

How We Evaluate Pennsylvania Online Casinos

Online gambling laws in Pennsylvania allow for a wide range of operators to offer games in the state. As a result, there are multiple online casinos that are well worth your time. The teams of experts at VegasSlotsOnline carefully reviews each and every casino to create our curated list, so you only get the best of the best. Here are some of the key factors we consider when vetting Pennsylvania online casino sites:

Your Choice of Device

When playing at an online casino, Pennsylvania players shouldn’t have to worry over whether their preferred site will work on a specific device. We review out top sites for device optimization and availability.

We look for two distinguishing factors. First, is the online casino compatible with any device? A casino that has a responsive design optimized for use on a smartphone, tablet, and desktop will edge out the competition.

Second, we check for availability. Apple and Google have specific restrictions in place that directly impact Pennsylvania online casinos. A site with an iOS and Android app has a leg up on competition, especially if that competing online casino is only accessible via mobile browser.

Bonuses and Promotions

Now that the state has legalized online gambling, Pennsylvania is filled to the brim with sites that happily accept online casino players. Because the marketplace is so packed, sites have extra incentive to bring new players into the mix. Many do this with bonuses and promotions, which we take into consideration when we choose the best online casinos in Pennsylvania.

Library of Games

The whole point of online casinos in Pennsylvania and around the world is to have fun, so games play a huge role in setting apart the best from the rest. We select online casinos with a wide variety of titles that fit a range of player tastes and cater to new players and experienced veterans alike.

Safety and Security

In a legal market like Pennsylvania, safety and security is incredibly important. As a player, you should feel secure throughout your gaming experience. We select licensed operators that offer high-level encryption and take extra steps to protect your data.

Payments and Withdrawals Made Easy

The more ways you can deposit at a Pennsylvania online casino, the better your experience. We recommend casinos with flexible payment options so you can always choose the method that works best for you.

Popular Pennsylvania Online Casino Games

As an early adopter of online casino and poker, Pennsylvania has built an impressive portfolio of game titles across its many gambling sites. There are thousands of games to choose from. 

Slots

You’ll undoubtedly find hundreds and hundreds of slot titles at Pennsylvania’s online casinos. Big-name providers feature their content at our top-recommended sites. And because Pennsylvania is a legal, regulated market, you’ll see games featuring popular licenses from pop culture. Movies, music, sports, TV, board games, and more all weave their way into slot themes.

 There are also tons of classic themes focusing on Greek Gods, dragons, witches and wizards, folklore, ancient Egypt, and much more. Whether you’re a high-volatility bonus chaser or just playing a few spins for fun, Pennsylvania online casinos will have a slot that fits your preferences. 

Table Games

From baccarat to blackjack, roulette to craps, sic bo to three card poker, Pennsylvania has an extensive library of table games on offer at online casinos. You can find globally popular cards and dice games reimagined for the digital arena plus fan-favorite variants like switch blackjack and more. 

Poker

Pennsylvania online poker was authorized by the same bill that brought online casino gaming and sports betting to Pennsylvania. Right now, there are multiple poker rooms accessible to Pennsylvania players. 

The catch? You can only play against other players in Pennsylvania. There are rumors that Pennsylvania will eventually join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which allows players from New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada to compete in poker games against one another. If Pennsylvania joins the agreement, it will instantly expand the player-base for the state’s online poker community. 

Live Dealer

A few Pennsylvania online casinos plan to release live dealer games in the near future. Live dealer games feature a live-streamed table from a remote location. A real dealer hands out cards, and the computer settles bets. Players can chat using a special messaging function within the app or on the desktop site. Live dealer games provide an excellent mix of the online and land-based casino gaming experience. 

Pennsylvania Online Casino Bonuses

When you sign up for one of our top Pennsylvania online casino sites, keep an eye out for lucrative bonus offers that ramp up your account value. 

No Deposit Bonus

Some casinos will offer a small welcome bonus to you, no deposit required. Just sign up and receive a small amount of credit to be used on your favorite online casino title. These bonuses usually come in amounts ranging from $5 to $30 and are a great way to kickstart online gaming. 

Free Spins

Take a few spins of the reels at no charge! Online casinos in Pennsylvania often grant free spins to new players who sign up. Use the spins on your preferred slot title (sometimes you’re limited to a specific selection set by the casino) and keep anything you win off the free spins. 

These bonuses are frequently paired with no deposit bonuses. Combination offers make signing up even better for new players. 

First Deposit Match

Deposit match bonuses are especially common at online sportsbooks, but you may find them at Pennsylvania online casinos, too. The operator will match your very first deposit up to a certain dollar amount, doubling the value of your account. Some casinos cap the match at $250, others at $500. Some match 100% of your first deposit amount and others match lower percentages. These are great bonuses, but always check the terms so you’re crystal clear on what’s required from you to redeem the bonus. 

Promotions For Existing Players

For players at online casinos in Pennsylvania who already have accounts, most sites have a “promotions” or “offers” page with rotating deals. Check those pages often for new opportunities to make a few extra dollars or try a new game with a featured deal. 

Rewards Programs

Once you’re all set with your casino account and have claimed any available sign up bonuses, be sure to check out your site’s rewards and loyalty programs. Most Pennsylvania online casinos will offer some sort of frequent player bonuses. For example, you may earn free spins or extra money in your account once you spend beyond a set threshold. These programs vary in what they offer, but they all benefit you as a player, especially if you prefer to stick to one online casino in Pennsylvania.

Online Casinos in Pennsylvania Needed a Legislative Spark

Even before the legislation of 2017 made Pennsylvania real money online casino gaming and sports betting a reality, lawmakers expressed concerns that the state was falling behind some of its neighbors and, at the very least, needed to take steps to stay ahead in the increasingly competitive market of the northeastern United States. With New York and Massachusetts set to add new resorts, Delaware and Maryland having gone through their own rounds of expansion, and New Jersey adding online gambling, it became a distinct possibility that Pennsylvania’s could lose its dominant position in the region.

Having looked at the relative success of Internet gaming for Atlantic City’s casinos, a few legislators pushed bills in PA, though the contents of those laws varied. Some proposed allowing only internet poker in Pennsylvania, while others opted to authorize the full range of casino games.

In November 2015, the first of these bills started to see some movement in the state legislature. State Representative John Payne pushed his legislation, HB 649, through the House Gaming Oversight Committee. It was the first time a Pennsylvania online gambling bill had been passed through a committee in the state’s history, being approved by an 18-8 margin. The law provides not only for online gambling, but also for slot machines to be installed at airports and off-track betting facilities in the state. This would not, as we now know, become the law that eventually legalized online gambling in Pennsylvania. However, House Bill 649 paved the way for many of the regulations Pennsylvania now has in place to govern its ever-growing online casino and sports betting presence.

Almost exactly four years following the initial movement of HB 649, Pennsylvania had passed HB 271 and launched a full-fledged online gaming ecosystem that included poker, sports betting, and casino gaming. The state remains a leader in the space to this day, and its online gaming environment continues to grow in revenue and audience. As other US states consider legalizing online gaming, they now look to Pennsylvania (and New Jersey) to help build their own legislative frameworks.

Land-Based Gambling Options in Pennsylvania 

Until 2005, there were no legal casinos operating in the state of Pennsylvania. But that changed when the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs (known now as Mohegan Sun Pocono) started offering slot machines for visitors in 2006. That move made it the first of many Pennsylvania casinos that would eventually open and legally host slots, a monumental moment for the state’s gaming industry.

It would be far from the last one to be opened. Several other racinos opened, as well as a number of standalone casinos that now dot the landscape. As of the time of writing, there are 12 Pennsylvania casinos.

Many of these venues are located relatively near Philadelphia, with SugarHouse actually being hosted within the city itself (the Live! Hotel and Casino will soon join it within the city limits). Pittsburgh is also home to a standalone facility, known as the Rivers Casino. As of 2010, these facilities are also allowed to host table games, bringing a wider range of options to gamblers who visit or live in the state.

Beyond full casinos, there are also plenty of other ways to gamble throughout the Keystone State. The Pennsylvania Lottery offers not only its own games, but also participates in multistate jackpots like Powerball and Mega Millions. There is also horse racing at several tracks, as well as off-track betting at many locations.

In 2013, expansion was taken a step further by lawmakers, who decided to allow bars and clubs to offer “small games of chance” with a proper license. These could potentially include drawings and raffles, as well as pull-tab games, as long as the prizes offered fell within limits (such as a $2,000 maximum prize for any single game).

Surprisingly, however, few bars and taverns actually applied for the licenses. According to owners, the costs attached to the applications, as well as the long process, dissuaded many from doing so, and by mid-2014, less than two dozen bars had been issued licenses: far less than the 2,000 that the state had predicted. Regulators agreed to cut the fees associated with the process in order to encourage more businesses to apply, but the program still hasn’t been nearly as successful or popular as many had hoped.