Pennsylvania Online Casinos: Top 8 PA Online Casino Apps October 2024
Pennsylvania Online Casinos Review – Top Legal & Highest Rated PA Casino Apps
Pennsylvania online casinos are officially live! Although the state initially hesitated to legalize betting, the Pennsylvania gambling market eventually gained steam. That momentum allowed for the full legalization of both online casino gaming and PA sports betting apps in the Keystone State.
With Pennsylvania online casinos fully available right now, anyone of legal betting age (21 or older) can sign up for one of the many available PA online casino platforms. Some of the most popular options for PA casinos include BetMGM Casino Online, FanDuel Casino Online, Caesars Casino Online, BetRivers Casino Online, and DraftKings Casino Online. Plus, each Pennsylvania online casino gives new users an excellent sign-up bonus, such as a deposit match bonus or betting credits. Check out the rest of our Pennsylvania online casino guide for all the essential info on choosing a new platform.
$35 Casino Credits + Play $5 and Get $50 back in Casino Credits
Top Rated Pennsylvania Online Casinos
The hefty licensing fees for PA online casinos might prove a steep financial commitment for smaller online gambling platforms. However, the casinos listed below have met that commitment. DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and BetMGM now all have products available to Pennsylvania online casino gamblers.
- BetMGM PA Casino
- Caesars Palace Casino PA
- DraftKings PA Casino
- Borgata PA Casino
- FanDuel PA Casino
- BetRivers PA Casino
- Bally PA Casino
- Fanatics PA Casino
Pennsylvania Retail Casino and Online Casino History
Despite an ardent base strongly opposed to gambling, Pennsylvania was one of the earliest states to allow state-run lottery games. Ultimately, two facets of initial lottery legislation helped smooth the pathway to approval. One was the focus on helping to provide property tax relief for Pennsylvania’s elderly population. The other target was to offer a state-monitored games-of-chance series to deter illegal gambling operations that were plaguing the state.
Act 91 triggered the launch of the PA State Lottery in 1971, but other forms of gambling found rough sledding in attempts to gain approval. Multiple efforts to open up government-regulated casinos in Pennsylvania met repetitive hurdles during the 1980s and 1990s.
Much of the focus was on Pennsylvania’s resorts in the Pocono Mountains. However, when given a chance, voters rejected the proposals. In the early 1990s, lawmakers shifted their attention to riverboats.
Many felt the timeless acceptance of riverboat gambling might be enough to sway the minds of Pennsylvania’s voters. Nevertheless, the contrasting point’s viewpoints collided. The onus for gambling approval was left with the voters, who rejected it once again.
A final effort was attempted at the close of the 20th century. In 1999, a gaming bill was introduced to open up minimal gambling options at casinos and a handful of riverboats. The bill would allow slot machines and video poker at licensed taverns.
However, just like all the other efforts to allow gambling in Pennsylvania, it failed to muster enough voter approval. Through all the debate over casino gambling, Pennsylvanians still held a modest affinity for betting on horses.
Forty years before the failed 1999 gambling bill, Pennsylvania approved the Race Horse Industry Reform Act. The 1959 legislation paved the way for four horse racing tracks to open in the 1960s and 1970s.
Two additional tracks were approved in 2007. Pennsylvania also became only the fifth state to legalize off-track betting in 1988. However, despite the ability to “play-the-ponies,” Pennsylvanian residents were reluctant to approve other forms of betting.
Things began to change in 2004. Modifications to the Race Horse Industry Reform Act created the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act. The modest changes had sweeping results. By 2006, 14 locations were approved for slot machines.
The act split the allotment of licenses between Pennsylvania’s Racinos and physical casino locations. It also targeted Pittsburgh and Philadelphia as designated locations. This was important considering these two city’s populations.
But, it also helped ignite a wave of sentiment for expanding the existing gambling legislation. The theory has worked. By July 2010, Pennsylvania casinos added table games.
Along with expanding the types of casino games, the state also permitted satellite casinos. This expanded casino-type gambling even more. During the 2017 calendar year, Pennsylvania’s casinos established a new revenue record at over $3 billion.
The timing turned out to be perfect. In May of the following year, the U.S. Supreme Court made a landmark ruling on sports gambling. It opened the door for states to determine for themselves if they wanted to allow legal sportsbooks.
Pennsylvania was riding a wave of sentiment in favor of gambling, boosted by the huge 2017 revenue report. The legislation passed that same year set the table for Pennsylvania’s early entry into the sports betting market.
When New Jersey launched almost immediately, Pennsylvania lawmakers had a model example as a next-door neighbor. And the pain of watching money walk across state lines further solidified the state’s desire for legalization. Since much of the legal work had been framed in 2007, the step into legal sportsbooks was met with little resistance.
Pennsylvanians didn’t put up much resistance against the idea of allowing sports bets to be placed online. The same wave of legislation passed in 2017 also created a platform for online casinos. Pennsylvania had gone from one of the toughest nuts to crack for legal gambling advocates to the fourth state to launch online casino games. Let’s look at some regulations governing Pennsylvania’s online casinos and its impact on the Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania Online Casino Requirements & Regulations
The legal document that resulted from the 2007 changes in Pennsylvania’s gambling structure is extensive. It covers each aspect of casino gambling in minute detail. Each type of game is regulated within a dedicated section of Title 58.
The legislation established a framework to define the four types of casinos in Pennsylvania. The first category includes licenses afforded by the state’s existing racetracks.
Stand-alone casinos and resort casinos make up the second and third categories. The act was amended in 2010 to permit table games in these three types of locations. The more comprehensive legislation of 2017 allowed casinos with existing licenses to create a set number of satellite or mini-casinos.
The total number of slot machines and table games is specifically set. Besides the fees for establishing a legal corporation or partnership in Pennsylvania, each casino must pay an upfront, non-refundable application fee.
The licensing fees have been a financial boon for the state. Sportsbooks are required to pay $10 for a license. Mini-casinos, becoming increasingly popular, cost $50 million for each license. Online casino licenses cost $4 million for an individual license.
Online casino licenses can be purchased in a block of three for $10 million. These are simply the fees for licenses. Online casino operations in Pennsylvania also generate a steady stream of tax revenue.
Online slot games bring in 54% on revenue, and online poker sites pay a 16% tax rate on profits. The average grew in 2020 to surpass $20 million in monthly tax revenue.
Revenue from online poker is growing more gradually, but aspirations are for another $1 million in tax revenue to materialize as online poker games become more popular. Online casinos are clearly having a financial impact on Pennsylvania.
Online Casinos Benefit Pennsylvania
With a city whose history includes the birth of a nation, plus another that documents one of the most historical events in that nation’s struggles, Pennsylvania has a booming tourism trade. Adding online casinos to the equation does more than fill the revenue coffers.
Visitors to Pennsylvania’s wealth of tourist attractions can now play online casino games while visiting the Keystone State. The Pocono resorts, home to physical casinos as well, are a popular winter spot. Sportsbooks have consistently established new benchmarks for generating revenue.
The various ways that the slow and steady progress toward legal gambling in Pennsylvania has impacted the state are tremendous. Of course, number one in the state’s accounting ledgers.
Now, let’s look at some of the most popular questions about PA online casinos.
Pennsylvania Online Casino FAQ
- Are online casinos legal in Pennsylvania?
- What online casinos can I play right now in Pennsylvania?
- What online casino has the best welcome bonus?
- What online casinos offer online poker?
- Are live dealer games available online in Pennsylvania?
- How old do I have to be to play with an online casino?
- Can I link my online casino and Sportsbook accounts?
- Can I bet on the Pennsylvania online casinos outside of the state?
- Can you wager with online Pennsylvania casinos when visiting the state?
- Why do online casinos ask for your Social Security Number?
Are online casinos legal in Pennsylvania?
Yes, online casinos were legalized at the same time as sportsbooks in Pennsylvania. This means it is completely legal to gamble at a licensed online casino in the Keystone State. You can play from your phone or computer as long as you are 21 years or older.
What online casinos can I play right now in Pennsylvania?
You can start your Pennsylvania online casino journey with DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, BetRivers, Fanatics, or Caesars today. There are more options, but all six of these offer top welcome bonuses that you can access right here on Lineups.com.
What online casino has the best welcome bonus?
Caesars has the best new user bonus from a dollar value perspective. New users to Caesars Palace Casino can claim a 100% deposit bonus up to $2,500 + 2,500 Reward Credits on $25+ Wager
What online casinos offer online poker?
BetMGM offers a huge poker platform on its website and casino app. FanDuel also offers a poker site in the form of Party Poker, an affiliate of the company.
Are live dealer games available online in Pennsylvania?
Yes, live-dealer games are legal and available with every single one of the online casinos listed on the page! A live-dealer game means you can play with real people and a real-life dealer. There is no need for a camera on your end when playing.
How old do I have to be to play with an online casino?
The legal betting age in Pennsylvania is 21 years old; this includes online casinos. When signing up for an online casino, it will ask questions to help identify you and ensure you are of legal betting age.
Can I link my online casino and sportsbook accounts?
Yes, you can link online casino and online sportsbook accounts if you are using the same operator. However, you may not be able to share your sportsbook and casino wallet, depending on the operator and platform.
Can I bet on the Pennsylvania online casinos outside of the state?
No, you cannot use Pennsylvania online casinos outside of state borders. Currently, online casinos are regulated by state laws, and the casinos in Pennsylvania are specific to the state. While operators may be in other states, you cannot bet on the Pennsylvania site outside of the state.
Can you wager with online Pennsylvania casinos when visiting the state?
Yes, you do not have to be a resident to bet with online casinos in Pennsylvania. There is nothing that states you must be a resident of the Keystone State to play. However, you must wait until you visit to make your account and wager.
Why do online casinos ask for your Social Security number?
Online casinos require your Social Security number so that the operator can confirm your identity. If you do not confirm your identity, you cannot place a wager. This is something that casinos are required to do legally. Occasionally, casinos will ask for more information to confirm your identity.
