Welcome to (site name), the ultimate guide to all things gaming in Pennsylvania. Our team is dedicated to giving you all the information you need to be an informed gambler in the state. From an overview of every type of gambling that is legal to reviews of all the top online sites, you will find it here. We even go a step further, giving you some tips and tricks to make you a better bettor no matter what game you are playing!
Pennsylvania residents are big fans of gambling, but with all the changes in the online landscape, it can become overwhelming at times to keep track of what’s happening. If you bookmark this site, you can clear through all the clutter and get the latest news on everything that takes place in the Pennsylvania online gambling market.
Recent changes to the gaming laws in Pennsylvania have opened the door to many new forms of regulated online gambling. Our site covers each in detail – check out all the exciting gaming verticals below.
Online/Mobile Sports Betting
The most gambling news that has taken place across the United States in the last couple of years has been centered around sports betting, and Pennsylvania has been a part of that news cycle. In 2018, the Supreme Court of the U.S. rules that PASPA was unconstitutional, leaving the decision to regulate sports betting in the hands of each individual state. Pennsylvania had already passed laws that included a provision for sports betting, so when PASPA was repealed, the state was in a great spot to be one of the first regulated sports betting states outside of Nevada.
What followed was a very slow process of licensing and launch. This can be attributed to many factors, one of which was the high cost of entry for possible licensees. However, as of 2020, there are several sportsbooks now open in Pennsylvania, and each of them has an online and mobile component to them. Players can find lines on their favorite teams, athletes, and sports. We will help you find the best site for you – our reviews cover everything from customer service to promotions to markets offered – we do the heavy lifting so you can focus on the bets!
Online Casinos
Online casinos have been popular in Pennsylvania for a couple of decades, but until recently, they were not operating in a regulated environment. That added risk, coupled with the lack of tax revenue being derived from these games, forced the state’s hand, and they followed the lead of New Jersey into passing legislation back in 2017. This meant for the first time, a series of online casino licenses were going to be awarded, and Pennsylvania residents were going to have safe, secure options for playing their favorite casino games from their computers and tablets.
As with sports betting, there were some barriers to entry for the 13 possible licensees. These included a hefty upfront license fee and tax rates that were considered so high that they might make the online casinos a losing proposition for some brands. Ultimately, licenses were awarded and today, there are several options available to players.
There can be a wide variance in the offering between different online casinos, so it is important that you do a little research before making a deposit. We search out the best signup offers, loyalty programs and look for the sites with the best suite of games available so you can be assured of an excellent gaming experience when you are ready to enter the virtual lobby.
Online Poker
Online poker was all the rage in the U.S. in the early 2000s. The game grew so big that it was dominating the television airwaves, with hundreds of hours of programming making its way to the major sports networks. After turning poker pros into celebrities, online poker allowed the amateur player to make their way to the biggest games in the country. However, the whole industry was based offshore and came crashing down with two major pivot points – the enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act in 2006 and the Department of Justice’s seizure of the major site URLs in 2011 (known as Black Friday).
While there had been a lot of lobbying in Washington to make online poker legal across the U.S., some states took measures to approve the activity at a state level. As part of the 2017 legislation in Pennsylvania, 13 online poker licenses were open for application. The issue with poker, of course, is that you need a lot of players to start games and keep them open. This is much tougher to accomplish when drawing from a smaller population of players. Despite multiple applications being received, the launch of online poker sites was delayed until the end of 2019.
Fans of Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and all the other poker variants will be pleased to know that the most well-known brands in the poker world are making their way into the regulated online poker space in Pennsylvania. Sites will offer a wide range of games from cash games to major tournaments, and there will once again be a return to sending qualifiers to the prestigious World Series of Poker. Our poker page not only reviews the sites themselves but will give you a few pointers if you are new to the game or need a refresher.
Online Horse Racing in Pennsylvania
Horse racing has been a long-standing tradition in Pennsylvania, and even though the tracks themselves have seen better days, the races continue to this day. There is a lot of betting action that takes place on these races, and online horse racing betting apps and sites have been around for a long time. Pari-mutuel wagering has always been carved out as an exemption to any bill banning gambling, and as a result of the interstate horse wagering act, you can bet on races from other states from the comfort of Pennsylvania.
Creating an account at one of the available betting apps is the first step on your horse betting journey. However, navigating the different tracks, races and bet types can be a massive undertaking – we’ll help you understand what you are looking at so you can take advantage of one of the most entertaining forms of gambling in the country.
Online Lottery Games
Pennsylvanians love the lottery. Every year, the figures released on ticket sales are growing and continue to astound those in the industry. A lot of the recent growth can be attributed to the Pennsylvania Lottery app, which has allowed jackpot-seekers to be able to buy their tickets without having to go out of their houses. The lottery app also offers more games that are online-only, giving players an extra outlet for their entertainment dollar. With Powerball jackpots approaching a billion dollars on occasion, we don’t see a slowdown in ticket sales for these life-changing draws anytime soon.
Pennsylvania Online Gambling FAQ:
Why did it take so long to make online gambling legal?
This is a tough question to answer. Ultimately, many state governments did not know how to regulate an online-based product as the Internet was still very new. As other industries went online and regulations were established, especially those involving banking, there was a knowledge base that was built up within the government that made it feel more comfortable writing laws to manage gambling activity. Sadly, it took such a long time that the state could have reaped far more tax dollars from operators that now will not come back onshore. However, the good news is that all forms of online gambling are now legal in Pennsylvania.
What site offers the best bonuses?
This is more of a subjective topic, as it really depends on what game you are playing and what type of bonus you like. From signup bonuses to matching deposits to loyalty programs, there is a reward for everyone at an online gambling site. We’ll walk you through each type of bonus you will see at an online gambling site in Pennsylvania, and our reviews will show you which sites offer the best value depending on your bankroll and your game of choice.
Does the legislation in Pennsylvania make offshore sites illegal?
Most of the online sportsbook and casinos sites offered to Pennsylvania residents before legislation are registered and operating from outside the United States, making it very tough to prosecute the owners. The current legislation does not make it illegal for you to play at these sites, nor does it have the teeth to reach across the borders. However, with so many great regulated options now available, we do not recommend you play with an offshore brand no matter how attractive an offer you may receive.
Who do I speak to if I have a problem with an online gaming site?
First, you should speak directly to the owner of the site. If you are not having any luck addressing your issue, you can then reach out to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which will have an escalation procedure to handle all complaints about their licensed operators.