Pennsylvania is one of the few US states where online gambling is allowed. There is a decent number of online casinos in Pennsylvania, but registering at the right casino is crucial. Below is the list of all Pennsylvania online casinos, each reviewed in detail, but if you scroll down, you can read all about online gambling in Pennsylvania.
Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has a fascinating history of gambling, dating back to 1971 when the PA state lottery was established in Act 91.
In the early 1990s, gambling supporters made a push for legalising gambling that would take place on riverboards in state waterways. Another attempt happened in 1999 when the State House approved a gaming bill, but the referendum was never held.
In 2004, Act 71, known as the Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act, was passed, legalising racetracks and casinos within the state. This is also a crucial year because the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) was established – an independent state agency that today regulates online gambling.
Online gambling, or iGaming, became legal in Pennsylvania through the PA Act 42 of 2017. After the legalisation of Pennsylvania online casinos, there have been several important events, all of are listed below:
- 2018: The PGCB started accepting applications and issued the first online gaming licence.
- 2019: PokerStars opens the first legal poker room in the state.
- 2019: Revenue from iGaming becomes visible.
- 2020: The popularity of online casinos grows as the doors of physical casinos close due to the pandemic.
- 2021: BetMGM opens the online casino in Pennsylvania
- 2022: Online gambling market sees significant growth in revenue and the number of players
- 2023: A bill is passed to allow mobile sports betting operators to partner with retail casinos; virtual gaming terminals regulations are updated
- 2024-ongoing: Refining the online gambling industry laws.
Are Land-Based Casinos Allowed in Pennsylvania?
Yes, land-based casinos are allowed in Pennsylvania. Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs was the state's first brick-and-mortar casino offering slot machines. In 2010, Ed Rendell, the Governor at the time, signed a bill to legalise table games in land-based casinos, which extended the offering in Mohegan Sun and other casinos that opened after it.
Today, there are 17 land-based casinos in the state.
Is It Safe to Gamble at an Online Casino in Pennsylvania?
Gambling at online casinos in Pennsylvania is completely safe. However, when choosing an online casino, make sure it is licensed and regulated by the PGCB. That way, you know you’ll play at reputable websites that protect your information.
Remember that if you play slot machines and table games at Pennsylvania online casinos, you must be at least 21.
How We Rate Online Casinos in Pennsylvania
If you want to choose the best online casino in Pennsylvania, you should know how we rate them. With the help of CasinoRank, an advanced system developed by AskGamblers professionals, we can rate each casino objectively and give you a clear picture of what you can expect. We also write reviews for each online casino and below are some of the things we take into consideration.
Casino Bonus Offers
Players are always looking for different casino bonuses, and online casinos in Pennsylvania offer all kinds of deals. These could be welcome deals that reward players when they create an account, as well as matching bonuses, Free Spins, reload, or cashback bonuses.
Online casinos create their own deals and set the requirements, so read the Terms and Conditions for each bonus before you claim it. The more bonuses they offer, the better the casino is. Casinos that don’t reward their loyal players and create special deals usually have a lower CasinoRank.
Most Popular Casino Bonus for Pennsylvania Players
Players from Pennsylvania love a good casino bonus. The list of all Pennsylvania bonuses shows that casinos offer different kinds of deals, ranging from Free Spins, to welcome and cashback offers.
When Pennsylvania casinos list a new bonus, it will be included on that page. There is no doubt that players love a no deposit bonus offer, so if one pops up, we’ll let you know.
Casino Games and Software
The variety and the number of casino games are important aspects of rating online casinos in Pennsylvania. Reputable online casinos tend to create partnerships with a lot of software providers whose games are tested and secure.
The majority of online casinos provide online slots. Still, other games such as poker, blackjack, roulette and similar table games, as well as live casino games, are just as essential to keep the players entertained. New casinos who want to compete in Pennsylvania should partner with legitimate game suppliers and try to offer as many games as possible.
Payment Methods Available in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania online casinos need to offer a variety of payment methods to players. As a player, depositing to a casino and withdrawing money from the casino should be an effortless process. While all online casinos require your personal documentation to prevent money laundering and ensure you get your money, they must not purposefully delay withdrawals and engage in other forms of misconduct.
Popular payment methods used in online casinos in Pennsylvania include:
- Discover
- Venmo
- VIP Preferred
- Play+
- PayNearMe
- ACH
Of course, you can find other options, such as MasterCard, Visa, Neteller, Stripe, and other types of e-wallets and cryptocurrencies. Keep in mind that even though some casinos may offer an abundance of banking methods, they aren’t necessarily the casinos with the best payout.
Casino Apps and Mobile Play
Most Pennsylvania casinos offer a mobile app you can download directly from their website or the App Store. The ability to play your favourite casino games from your Apple is key to ranking casinos available in this state.
Responsible Gambling in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania online casinos offer players a variety of responsible gambling tools they can use to limit their spending, set reminders or take a break from gambling. Players are encouraged to take tests and turn to organisations that work with people who struggle with gambling.
In Pennsylvania, casinos usually have a page dedicated to responsible gambling where you can find details and links to institutions. Also, they incorporate tools and features that are easy to use within your account.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board also has a hotline for players and allows them to take a self-assessment test and submit a self-exclusion request. The hotline number is 1-800-GAMBLER, and you can also chat online or send a text: 800GAM. There’s also a 12-step support program called GAM-ANON you can explore.
