- PA Online Poker Room Advantages. Despite the fact that online poker accounts for less than online slots and table games of New Jersey’s total online gambling revenue, online poker rooms in Pennsylvania will have a distinct advantage because of the far lower tax rate of 16%.
- Mar 11, 2017 These online poker sites are legal in the U.S. And can provide you with ways to win some real money. Check out WSOP NJ, 888poker NJ, Global Poker, and more!
Jan 15, 2014 Pennsylvania Online Poker Laws. Gambling has been an expanding industry in Pennsylvania for the last few years. There are more than a dozen state-licensed and regulated gambling establishments across the state, including 6 racinos, 5 stand-alone casinos and 2 resort casinos.
The first state-regulated online casinos in Pennsylvania are up and running as of July 15, 2019.
If you are 21 years or older and inside PA state lines, you can now enjoy slots, table games, and video poker from your desktop computer or mobile devices.
This page contains all the information you need to get started at Pennsylvania online casinos.
Below is a guide to the games you can play for free and for realmoney at PA online casinos. After that, you’ll find information on apps, bonuses, safety, and geolocationtechnology.
Regulated casinos also include protection for problem gamblers, which we cover at the end of this page.
Best online casinos in Pennsylvania 2020
There are now five online casinos to choose from in Pennsylvania:
- PokerStars Casino
- Parx Online Casino
There was a test period for each site with limited hours, but now they are all available 24/7.
Real money and free online casino games in Pennsylvania
You can play most games at PA casinos online for fun. Playing games in demomode, or with play-money chips, allows you to find the titles you like before you gamble.
The only category of games that are notavailable for free play is live dealer table games. You can watch them, though you will not be able to bet play-money chips.
The current offerings on real money online casinos in PA are a bit limited, to begin with. Rest assured that the casino sites will add new games as quickly as the PA Gaming Control Board (PGCB) will allow it.
We offer an overview of how diverse these casino game categories are. Keep in mind that the most prominent New Jersey online casinos offer more than 600 titles.
PA online slots
Slots are the biggest category of games for any online casino. You can expect to see over 200 games listed and you’ll need some way to sort the list of slot titles.
Firstly, casinos will feature their most popular games. You can use filters to search by, e.g., the number of reels, game developer, progressive jackpots, and so on.
If you enjoy live casino slots, then you will be able to play a lot of these online. You can search by name, or browse the listings for IGT, Bally, or another live slot studio.
Many online casinos feature classic games, e.g., Wheel of Fortune, Cleopatra, and WolfRun. You can locate traditional three-reel slots, which many of these titles will be new to Pennsylvania. Online slot studios created these, like NetEnt.
When you browse the tiled graphics for slots to enjoy, you’ll see progressivejackpots listed underneath many of them. These pools can get massive, up to $1 million or more.
Table games at PA online casinos
Tablegames are a broad category, although it mostly covers all the casino games played on the greenfelt.
While most are card-based, dice and roulette wheels also fall under table games. Live dealer games are in this category; however, we will cover them separately.
This list is for the software-based versions:
Blackjack: There are a lot of variations of basic blackjack rules. These include games with side bets, multi-hand games and entertaining variants like Blackjack Switch, Free Bet Blackjack, and Spanish 21.
Roulette: You can bet your favorite numbers or try complex betting systems with online roulette. Where available, choose the European roulette wheel because the single zero reduces the house edge.
Casino poker games: A lot of card-based table games use poker-hand rankings. Online casinos have Caribbean Stud, three-card poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Let It Ride, Pai Gow Poker, and Casino Hold ’em.
Baccarat: Two of the three bets you can place in baccarat have a very low house edge. As long as you avoid the “tie” bet, this favorite among high rollers can be entertaining.
Craps: With two betting phases and the chance to go on a hot streak as long as no 7s are rolled, craps is a lively live casino game. This appears at some online casinos, which gives you a chance to learn the complex bets.
Live dealer casinos in Pennsylvania
In other states, live dealer table games have become the go-to for many players. With these, you’ll bet online although the action will be dealt in real-time from studios in PA live casinos. Bets will settle automatically.
Games available include blackjack (where you play on a seven-handed table), roulette, three-card poker, Casino Hold ’em, and baccarat.
Keep in mind, you need to act before the timer runs down in these games. Your hand will be folded (or you’ll stand) depending on the game.
You can chat via text with the dealers and other players while you play. The added social element, plus the ability to watch the cards being dealt, make these increasingly popular games.
Video poker and novelty games
PA casinos allow you to play video poker games online. These include bonus poker and multi-hand variations, as well as traditional titles.
Pennsylvania online casino apps
There are pros and cons to online casino apps compared to mobile-friendly websites.
With apps, you often find only a limited number of game titles, along with account and cashier functionality. Compared to the hundreds of games you can play on your browser, this is a significant drawback.
On the positive side, having the graphics stored on your phone helps the games initialize faster. If you have ever had to wait for a bonus game to load on your mobile device after you hit it on a slot, you know how frustrating this can be.
Are the online casinos in Pennsylvania safe?
All online casinos in PA are licensed and under the jurisdiction of the PennsylvaniaGaming Control Board (PGCB).
Players are protected by know your customer (KYC) guidelines and responsible gaming laws. The games are tested for integrity and fairness. A complaint and dispute process is available if necessary.
When it comes to Pennsylvania online casinos, you really can’t get any safer.
The PGCB stated early in the licensing process that they have a deliberate, slow approach. This includes testing periods for new apps and websites. With the licenses for online casinos in Pennsylvania held by local live casinos and racetrack casinos, you’ll have trusted brand names behind each of the apps.
A major concern for players new to casino games is the fairness of the spins or deals. At regulated casinos, games are regularly audited and the expected return-to-player (RTP) percentages are published. While each game has a small edge in favor of the house, you can be sure that you are getting a fair shot at winning and it’s in line with the published figures.
Casino bonus offers in Pennsylvania
With a lot of online casinos opening in PA in quick succession, you can be sure they will be competing to attract new players.
This means 2020 is a perfect time to take advantage of their marketing budgets. Casino bonuses take four primary forms, and not every casino will offer them all. If not, the bonuses they do offer will need to be generous.
Here are the main types of casino bonuses:
- No-deposit welcome bonus: A popular way to attract new players is to offer free play for registering. This bonus is usually a small amount (between $10 and $25). You’ll need to wager it a number of times before you can withdraw it. These offers can start your casino bankroll, if you get lucky. If not, then you’ll have a chance to check out the real-money slot titles without any personal risk.
- Matched deposit bonuses: This is the most common form of a casino welcome bonus in PA. Your first deposit will be matched 100%, usually up to around $300, though sometimes much higher. You then get 30 to 60 days to meet the specified playthrough (wagering) requirements.
- Loyalty/comp point schemes: Some casinos will tie their online comp point schemes together with their live casino. Others have separate schemes, with complex tier systems unlocking progressively bigger bonuses. For high rollers, these loyalty schemes often have a VIP level, too.
- One-off promotions: How active a casino is with promos can make a big difference to your bankroll over time. These vary widely, and include double points deals, reload bonuses, promos linked to new games and free chips for sharing on social media.
While nothing is stopping you from taking up several casino bonuses, keep in mind that these are restricted to one per household for each casino. Many players have been tempted to sign up their entire family for a free-play offer only to find their accounts to be closed down quickly.
Licensed and legal PA casinos vs. offshore casinos
For many years, the only way to play online casino games in Pennsylvania was to risk your money at offshore casinos. While there were some limited legal options with sweepstakescasinos, the new legal PA internet casinos effectively remove the need to take this risk.
Offshore casinos are usually based in the Caribbean or Central America and their legal status is uncertain. While their host nation licenses them, they are not recognized or licensed by any US authority and our banks are legally obliged to block payments to them.
A greater concern is the lack of oversight and controls. Many offshore casinos have disappeared over the years, and many players have faced significant issues getting their winnings paid. If you have a dispute with an offshore casino, there is no industry body or organization to help you.
With PA casinos under the watchfuleye of the PGCB, they are licensed to accept conventional payment methods and thoroughly tested. There is no longer any reason to risk playing at an offshore site.
Geolocation and PA casinos
You will be able to access the PA online casinos fromanywhere. However, playing games for real money and making deposits can only be made within PA state lines.
Pennsylvania casinos will not allow real-money play if there is any doubt about your location. In New Jersey, this led to a lot of “falsenegatives.” Players who were on mobile devices near state borders were sometimes flagged as being outside of the state.
Fortunately, those initial problems were ironed out and geolocation technology is more reliable.
If you are using a VPN or proxyserver, you might still experience issues. Mobile users on 4G and close to the state border who experience problems can download additionalgeolocationsoftware in some cases.
Wi-Fi data is difficult to fake, and if you are not using a VPN, desktop players are unlikely to experience geolocation issues.
Full list of PA online casinos and potential launch dates
PA Online Casino | Launch Date |
---|---|
Sugarhouse Online Casino PA | July 17, 2019 |
Hollywood Casino | July 15, 2019 |
Parx Casino PA | July 15, 2019 |
PokerStars Casino | Nov. 4, 2019 |
Unibet via Mohegan Sun Pocono | Nov. 12, 2019 |
Presque Isle Downs | 2020 |
Harrah's | 2020 |
Valley Forge Casino | 2020 |
Live! Casino & Hotel | 2021 |
Wind Creek Casino | TBD |
MGM | TBD |
Golden Nugget NJ | TBD |
While Rivers Casino Pittsburgh did not obtain an online casino license, there will likely be a BetRivers online casino in the future. This can happen a couple of different ways. First, when SugarHouse Casino rebrands to Rivers Philadelphia, the property might change the name of the casino.
Additionally, Rivers Pittsburgh can offer a BetRivers skin under PlaySugarHouse’s online casino license.
Similarly, the options are open for Harrah’s Philadelphia. While it is possible the casino uses the Harrah’s name for its online casino, it is also possible the property takes advantage of the better known Caesars brand and launches a Caesars Online Casino in Pennsylvania.
List of live Pennsylvania casinos
There are currently 12 casino gambling properties in the state of Pennsylvania, with another casino in the works in Philadelphia’s Stadium Park.
According to PGCB, this includes 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos and two smaller resort casinos. The former two are Category 1 and 2 casinos, while the latter falls into Category 3. These gaming establishments employ approximately 18,000 people and generate close to $1.4 billion in tax revenue annually.
Click on any of the casinos below to learn more about that property.
Mini-casinos: The next phase of Pennsylvania casino development
As part of its gambling expansion law passed in October 2017, the state had the ability to issue up to tenCategory 4 licenses. These licenses allow for mini-casinos with 300-750 slots. A supplemental license costing $2.5 million allows these satellite casino properties to offer up to 30 table games as well.
The process for the issuance of mini-casino licensing involves a series of auctions. The preliminary auctions began in January 2018 and are limited only to the licensed Category 1 and 2 casinos. The first license went to Penn National, who spent $50.1 million to secure a location 50 miles south of its existing Hollywood Casino. During the first round of auctions, PGCB awarded five licenses.
The next round of auctions will get underway again on Aug. 4.
Check out our dedicated mini casino tracking page to see which towns are getting satellite properties and how much each casino ponied up to get them.
Pennsylvania problem gambling support
A system for self-exclusion for problemgamblers is available at live casinos in Pennsylvania.
This program involves filling out some forms, providing a photo ID, and voluntarily requesting one-year, five-year or lifetime exclusion.
A list of excluded people is distributed to all live casinos. Then it is the casinos’ responsibility is to prevent those people from entering gaming areas.
Removal from this list (for the shorter periods) does not happen automatically. After the period expires, individuals must request their removal personally.
Online gambling prevents new challenges when it comes to the management of problem gambling. For the majority to enjoy safe gambling online, support systems need to be in place for players who experience issues.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Commission manages this support program.
Here is what legal Pennsylvania online casinos must provide:
- A prominentlink to their responsible gambling information page.
- Tools for time-out, self-exclusion and betting limits.
- A list of questions to assess whether you or someone you know has a gambling problem.
- Links to support organizations and therapists.
Support programs in the state include:
Overview of Pennsylvania’s casino industry
The Pennsylvania casino industry is relatively young. Casinos only became legal in 2004. Yet, in the dozen or so years in existence, the industry quickly became a powerhouse. Now it is the second-largest commercial casino industry in the country judging by gross revenue, trailing only Nevada.
Thanks to steep tax rates, Pennsylvania casinos actually generate more tax revenue for the state than Nevada does. That number will get even bigger thanks to the gambling expansion law passed in the fall of 2017.
Here is a look at the history of the Pennsylvania casino industry, starting with the latest news and moving back towards the casino industry’s more humble beginnings:
After a summer of bickering, the state legislature drafted a new version of the gambling expansion package, which both the House and Senate passed. Gov. Tom Wolf signed it into law on Monday, Oct. 30. The new law allows for a wide range of new gambling ventures, including:
- Online casinos
- Video gambling terminals (VGTs)
- Daily fantasy sports (DFS)
- Potential for sports betting in the future
It also offered a new class of license eliminating the amenity fee in place at Valley Forge and Lady Luck Nemacolin. Valley Forge paid the fee immediately after the bill became law.
This white paper gives you an idea of the scope of the new gambling policies and what kind of revenue it should generate going forward.
Legislation which would legalize and regulate online gambling in Pennsylvania, and offer online gaming licenses to the state’s 12 casino properties first, was passed by the Senate. In June 2017 it was amended and passed by the House, sending it back to the Senate.
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin opened in July 2013.
Valley Forge Casino Resort opened its doors in March 2012 becoming the first Category 3 licensed casino in Pennsylvania.
After several ownership changes and failed financing plans with no construction to date, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted to revoke the Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia gaming license in December 2010.
SugarHouse Casino opened its first phase in Philadelphia in September 2010.
Pennsylvania passed a law in January 2010, authorizing table game operations at the state’s licensed racino, casino, and resort casino properties. The law also clarified the size and scope of gaming and other operations at the state’s three different categories of gaming licensees, including:
- Allowing up to 250 table games and 5,000 slot machines at Category 1 racino facilities
- Allowing 250 table games and 5,000 slot machines at Category 2 stand-alone casinos. These properties were also authorized to operate amenities including restaurants, spas, and entertainment options, but not hotels.
- Allowing up to 600 slot machines and 50 table games at Category 3 resort casinos. These gaming facilities can include attached hotels.
Parx Casino standalone gaming facility opened its doors in December .
Rivers Casino opened in Pittsburgh, PA’s Chateau neighborhood along the Ohio River in September.
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem opened on the Bethlehem Works development site in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in May 2009. Table games were added in July 2010. The property officially changed ownership to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in June 2019. The casino is now known as Wind Creek Bethlehem.
Hollywood Casino opened at Penn National racetrack in February 2008.
Mount Airy Casino Resort officially opened in the Poconos in November 2007, becoming the first Pennsylvania casino with lodging.
The Meadows Casino began as a temporary casino adjacent to the racetrack in Washington County, PA in June 2007. The permanent casino opened in 2009.
Presque Isle Downs casino and horse racing track near Erie, Pennsylvania opened in February 2007.
A slots parlor began operation at Harrah’s Philadelphia racetrack on the Chester waterfront. Table games went live at the property in 2010.
Parx Casino opened as a temporary gaming facility at the former Philadelphia Park racetrack in December 2006.
Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is granted one of five stand-alone casino licenses for a soon-to-be-built property located along the Delaware River in South Philadelphia. The project fell apart, resulting in PGCB revoking the license in 2010.
Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs became the state’s first slot parlor after opening its doors in November 2006 at a harness track near Wilkes-Barre.
State lawmakers made a number of amendments to horse track security bill authorizing both the use of 61,000 slot machines at racetracks and other new casino locations across Pennsylvania. Lawmakers rushed the bill through the House and Senate over the Fourth of July weekend, then quickly became law before any real opposition to casino gambling had a chance to oppose it.
The bill ultimately authorized the issue of three separate categories of slot machine licenses. These included:
- Category 1 for existing racetracks.
- Category 2 for designated tourist areas, including two in Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh.
- Category 3 for resorts.
Former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell runs for Pennsylvania Governor. He wins on a campaign that includes support for the idea of allowing slot machines at racetracks in an effort to lower property taxes.
Under Then-Governor Tom Ridge the State Legislature came close to legalizing riverboat casinos. The state’s anti-gambling movement began to grow and Gov. Ridge said he would veto any gambling bill not approved by referendum. Eventually the entire idea was scrapped.
A statewide survey found 48 percent of Pennsylvania residents supported legalized riverboat gambling and just 38 percent were opposed. However, Then-Governor Robert P. Casey claimed to be opposed to gambling and threatened to veto any gambling legislation passed in the state.
First developed under Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode, and championed by mayoral successor Ed Rendell, a proposal to allow riverboat gambling in Philadelphia made it to the state legislature. The claim was it would create $25 million in new revenue for the city and 11,500 new jobs. However, the House of Representatives voted against it in November by a margin of 118-81.
Resorts Casino Hotel opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey, becoming the first legal casino in Atlantic City. Resorts and the rest of the Atlantic City Boardwalk is within 60 miles of Philadelphia. It quickly become evident that Pennsylvania residents are some of the budding Atlantic City casino industry’s best customers.
Pennsylvania was the fourth US state to officially legalize online poker (after New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware) and real-money online poker has arrived, at long last, in 2019.
While online poker in PA didn’t launch on July 15 when many PA online casino sites went live (online poker often occupies a lower tier of priority for operators), PokerStars officially soft launched its PA online poker site on Nov. 4.
See a full review and download the PokerStars PA software (when available) here:
There are seven PA casinos with permits in hand to offer online poker so it’s just a matter of the other operators getting their poker sites and poker apps ready for release. Among the others expected to launch soon are:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
Play online poker in Pennsylvania
Global Poker allows Pennsylvania players to play poker online and win real cash prizes! Global poker offers PayPal deposits and uses a unique online poker sweepstakes model to allow US players to play.
When can I play online poker in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania legalized online poker (along with online casino games, sports betting, lottery and others) in October 2017.
After online gaming and sports betting launched in July 2019, the only remaining gaming option yet to launch was poker. That changed on Nov. 4, 2019.
PokerStars, through its partnership with Mount Airy Casino Resort (see more below), was the first operator to launch in the Keystone State. The site is the largest poker operator in the world with millions of players. PokerStars offers players:
- numerous promotions and bonuses
- great regular tournament series
- a wide range of stakes and tournament buy-ins
- excellent customer service and support
Real money poker sites in Pennsylvania
At present seven of Pennsylvania’s casino interests have moved forward with online poker licenses. They are:
- PokerStars (Mount Airy Casino Resort)
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Parx Casino
- Sands Bethlehem Casino Resort
- SugarHouse Casino
- Valley Forge Casino Resort
All seven have received conditional approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to proceed with interactive gaming. All except one casino (Sands Bethlehem) should open its online poker sites for business by the end of 2019.
Each of the active casinos has partnered with various poker providers to bring online poker to life. Each company’s choice of partner illustrates the prominence of online poker in its plans.
PokerStars Pennsylvania (Mount Airy Casino Resort)
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Mount Airy may be the big winner in Pennsylvania. The casino enacted quite the coup by snagging a partnership with PokerStars.
PokerStars has risen from the ashes of the UIGEA to become the market leader of online poker in New Jersey. Its smooth software and recreational player-friendly bent should find similar success in Pennsylvania.
Mount Airy is not a major live poker destination by any means — its nine-table poker room is the second smallest of the casinos which offer poker. So, its decision to pursue the online poker market so strongly comes as a bit of a surprise.
PokerStars PA Bonus Code
PokerStars players in PA will likely receive the same universal bonuses PokerStars players can access in NJ. Those bonuses are:
- Deposit $20 and Get $30
- 100% match bonus up to $600
The first bonus is paid out as:
- $10 in cash within 36 hours
- $10 after 7 days
- 5 Spin & Go tickets worth $10 total
The deposit bonus clears at a rate of $10 per $18.18 in rake paid. Players have four months to clear their full bonus. New players also get:
- Free entry into a $5,000 depositor freeroll
- 1 million in Play-Money chips
PokerStars PA Poker App
As PokerStars users around the world know well, the PokerStars client and poker app are the best of the best. Designed and implemented by poker players for poker players, the PokerStars software is unmatched by its competitors.
The poker client is Pennsylvania is no different. You’ll get all of the premium functionality and customization of the full PokerStars client as you’d find it in New Jersey and around the world.
You’ll also benefit from the slick and efficient PokerStars PA app, which is downloadable for both iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android. While the fully downloadable desktop client has all the bells and whistles, the app isn’t far behind. Tournament and cash game lobbies, the cashier, game and player stats and your account details are all easily accessed and managed strictly via the app.
Harrah’s Philadelphia
Harrah’s is an immediate frontrunner for the top spot in the market. The Philadelphia-area casino is part of Caesars Entertainment, which also owns and produces the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Additionally, Caesars operates online poker sites in both Nevada (WSOP NV) and New Jersey (WSOP NJ). It stands to reason that the brand will make a Pennsylvania appearance as well.
Using a platform fashioned by partner 888Poker, Harrah’s will be the stop for Pennsylvanians who want a chance to play in the Main Event. It is also likely that Harrah’s will merge the Pennsylvania player pool with the shared pool from Nevada and New Jersey.
Valley Forge Casino
Valley Forge is in a unique situation because it has approval for online poker but no strategic partner. However, do not be deceived: Valley Forge’s partner is all but decided already.
There have been interactions between the casino and PartyPoker since at least 2015. Although the situation for PartyPoker in America was rough for a time, the company has emerged as another strong poker option.
Even more importantly, PartyPoker is now the property of GVC. In return, GVC is a strategic partner with MGM Resorts. Resorts, in turn, has an access agreement with Boyd Gaming. Boyd purchased Valley Forge in September 2018.
So, there is a circular quality to the road joining Valley Forge and PartyPoker together. Nevertheless, a deal for Pennsylvania between the two companies seems likely in the next few months.
Hollywood Casino
While not in the same pole position as is Harrah’s, Mount Airy or Valley Forge, Hollywood Casino may be part of the first wave of casinos with online poker. The casino’s parent, Penn National, has a longstanding relationship with software developer IGT.
IGT is not as well-known for its poker products as it is for its slot machine design. However, it is not a neophyte when it comes to the creation of a poker platform. In fact, all of Canada’s state-operated poker sites are powered by IGT software.
The only hesitation about Penn National has been the company’s seeming desire to be first in sports betting. The casino group has won the race to be first-to-market for sports betting in both West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
So, Penn’s attention may be elsewhere right now. Otherwise, everything looks pretty good to go for online poker’s launch at Hollywood Casino.
Parx Casino
On paper, Parx would seem to be leading the charge into the online poker market in Pennsylvania. The casino is the unabashed market leader on the land-based side of things.
Even more appealingly, Parx has strategic partnerships with not one, but two software partners. Both GAN and Kambi have signed deals to assist the Bensalem casino’s transition into the virtual sphere.
However, neither GAN or Kambi are particularly experienced or regarded as poker providers. If anything, the two companies have a stronger reputation in other casino gaming and sports betting.
So, it’s a bit unclear if Parx has a big appetite for online poker or not.
SugarHouse Casino
SugarHouse is another casino in a similar situation to the one at Parx. It does have a strategic partner and its approval to offer online poker.
However, its partner has the same lack of experience as Parx’s partners. In fact, its partner is also Kambi, which means that there is no background in online poker to be found.
SugarHouse has also made its priorities and attention clear through its actions and statements. At this point, the Philadelphia-area casino is far more interested in getting its sports betting operation off the ground.
So, SugarHouse and/or its parent company, Rush Street Interactive, may have a way to go before addressing an online poker product.
Sands Bethlehem
Lastly, Sands Bethlehem is the most intriguing entry on the approved list. The casino is both without a strategic partner and without any desire to move forward with any sort of online gaming.
Its owner, Sheldon Adelson, may be the most prominent opponent of online gaming in the US. However, Sands Bethlehem is in the middle of a sales process.
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians should become the new owners of Sands Bethlehem in the next six months to a year. Part of its contract with Sands required that Sands acquire permission to offer online poker and gaming.
However, it is safe to say that Sands Bethlehem — or whatever its new name is — will be the last of the seven approved casinos to open an online poker room.
Pennsylvania online poker FAQ
Where can I play online poker in Pennsylvania?
Seven of Pennsylvania’s 12 casinos will offer online poker and at least one—PokerStars (Mount Airy)— launched before the end of 2019.
partypoker (Valley Forge Casino) and 888poker/WSOP (Harrah’s) are expected to be live within 12 months.
Who is allowed to play online poker in Pennsylvania?
Anyone who is older than 21 years of age and inside the state lines will be able to play on any of Pennsylvania’s real money online poker sites. You are also free to travel to New Jersey and play on any of the legal and regulated online poker sites in NJ.
How will poker sites know I’m in Pennsylvania?
As with other states, Pennsylvania will require that all sites use geolocation software to ensure players are logging into the site from instate. Companies like GeoComply specialize in this kind of software and are incredibly accurate for correctly placing players geographically.
Will Pennsylvania network poker with other states?
Probably. The gaming law expansion in 2017 allowed for interstate player pooling with other states that have online poker. So, potentially, Pennsylvania could join a player pool comprised of Nevada and New Jersey players.
Will players from other states be able to play on Pennsylvania sites?
If you are located in a state that is also licensed and regulated to offer online poker, possibly. As for now, Pennsylvania poker is ring-fence, meaning you will only play against other players within the state.
Licensed states with interstate compacts with Pennsylvania could allow players to access the same pool of participants, but the recent Wire Act opinion has placed the multi-state compact in doubt.
If you are in a state that doesn’t offer regulated online poker, you will not be able to play on a PA online poker site unless you travel to Pennsylvania. Using a VPN to mask your real location (and make it appear as if you are in Pennsylvania) will not work and will get your account closed permanently.
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Will Pennsylvania also allow online casino games?
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Yes. In fact, there will be more online casinos than online poker rooms in Pennsylvania. More of the state’s casino interests applied for and have received a permit to offer online slot play and table games.
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The law, H-271, was a massive expansion of Pennsylvania’s gaming opportunities and profile. The law made the following offerings (besides online poker) a possibility in the Keystone State:
- 10 mini-casinos
- A specified number of slots and table games
- Must conform to geographic requirements to avoid competition with existing casinos
- Only five licenses awarded so far, and none more are expected
- Alterations to Category 3 casinos
- Removes membership fee,
- Permits more slots via a one-time fee
- Daily fantasy sports
- Online casino games (table games and slots)
- Online lottery sales
- Sports betting
- Contingent upon PASPA‘s dismissal, which occurred in May 2018
- Sports betting launched in November 2018
- Tablet gaming
- Available in authorized areas at specific airports
- Video gambling terminals
- Similar to slot machines
- Available only at specific truck stops
Latest Pennsylvania online gambling updates
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- by Sean ChaffinJanuary 3, 2020
- by StaffNovember 21, 2019