Hello fellow gamblers, on this page, you will find all you need to know about the state of Pennsylvania gambling options available to residents and visitors. Readers may be surprised to learn that in the Keystone State, there is legal online gambling as well as offline. PA actually ranks second in the nation in terms of revenue, with the state sitting just behind Nevada.
On this page, we provide important details you’ll need if you want to gamble in the state, whether you’d like to partake in Pennsylvania online gambling or offline wagers. Below, you’ll find info about significant PA gambling laws. In addition, we discuss where to play table games, place sports bets, and find help should you need it. If you’d like a quick answer to your questions, jump on down to our
PA Gambling: Where to Do it Legally?
Contents
In the following paragraphs, you will read about the legality of gambling in Pennsylvania, as well as when and how it was regulated for the first time. We will tell you what the minimum gambling age is and if there are any activities that remain forbidden in the state. Of course, for your calmness, we reviewed also the options given to you in case of problematic gambling behavior. We also dug around the web to find the most famous Pennsylvanian gamblers that left their mark. You will also see some fun facts and a section filled with commonly asked questions about gambling in Pennsylvania.
Land-Based Pennsylvania Gambling
We would like to first brief you on the brick and mortar casinos in Pennsylvania that you can play at, before jumping in the deep pool of online gambling. And luckily, the options are not few at all! There is a more than a satisfying number of casinos that you can visit. The best part is that most of them can offer you an impeccable stay too, with many and different games and services as well.
In the ‘catalogs’ of the land-based casinos, you can find loads of slots with interesting themes and also different betting limits. Don’t think that this is the only option, though. A huge variety of table and card games is present. You can play blackjack, Craps, baccarat, poker and roulette, and all of them come in many variations. But not only the games are alluring! The casinos in Pennsylvania offer great promotions too, so you can have a flying start in your PA gambling experience. In case you wish to know more, we got your back, and you can read our page about the best casinos in Pennsylvania!
Pennsylvania Online Gambling: The Future of Casinos and Gaming
We said already that Pennsylvania is growing to become the biggest gambling location in the US. This, as you can imagine, made it impossible to not have online gambling as well. We are happy to inform you that you can bet as much as you want through your computer or mobile device right from the comfort of your home as long as you have an internet connection. Operators try to match the taste of every single player, therefore the game catalogs are filled to the brim with slots, table and card games. Below you can see a list of the most popular ones that you can find in Pennsylvania online gambling sites.
- Slots
- Poker
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Roulette
There are a number of operators that are eager to become the favorite among the Pennsylvania internet gambling ones and they try to win a player’s heart in all means. We are talking about perfect services, amazing bonuses in the beginning and dozens of promotions during your gameplay. Not to leave just empty words, we would like to introduce you to the online casino of Harrah’s, which can grant you absolutely everything that you might need.
Pennsylvania Sports Betting
Are you a lover of sports? And maybe you want to bet on it too? You are lucky then! Pennsylvania legalized sports betting and now you can enjoy the sportsbooks of some of the most famous operators! You can try your skills in Harrah’s Philadelphia or the Meadows Racetrack and Casino. And when we say ‘try your skills’ we mean it! Sports betting has nothing to do with luck, so be sure to know your game before deciding to bet.
Daily Fantasy Sports – Are They Legal in PA
If you like sports, then you most likely have heard about the new popular way to bet – daily fantasy sports. There are great operators that offer their services in Pennsylvania, like DraftKings, for example, which happens to be the favorite DFS site in the US. Please, keep in mind that here, just like in regular sports gambling, the most important thing is your knowledge and skills and you definitely cannot rely on luck. However, fantasy sports are getting more and more famous not just on US soil but also abroad and we will follow the development closely.
PA Gambling Table Games – Online Poker
Technically, online poker was legalized in Pennsylvania. Yet, the launches of the sites are delayed. This is, most likely, because it was a priority to launch the slots and other casino games first, while poker is a bit more complicated. Still, we will periodically check the situation and we will update you as soon as possible.
Gambling on The Pennsylvanian State Lottery
The history of lottery in Pennsylvania goes more than four decades ago, specifically in 1972 when it was established. There are seven draws, plus the multi-state ones Mega Millions, Powerball and Cash4Life. Three of the seven games are with jackpots, while the rest have fixed payouts. The Pennsylvania lottery also has an annual raffle game, called Millionaire Raffle. There are also games of Keno and Xpress Sports, available since around a year.
The latest changes in laws made possible the launch of the Pennsylvanian iLottery, but there are a lot of disputes around it. Practically, operators are complaining that the games of the iLottery are casino like ones and because of this a license fee should be paid. This, though, doesn’t stop you from purchasing your ticket and hoping that your lucky numbers will come out. Let’s not forget that, since the state participates in Mega Million and Powerball too, you can win amazing jackpot amounts! If we caught your attention, you can visit the site of Pennsylvania Lottery.
An Overview of Gambling in Pennsylvania
We finished the part where we talk about the different types of games. And while we don’t underestimate the importance of those, there are some other details that we would like to point out. As a starter, we will talk about the PA gambling laws and the legal gambling age in PA as well. We will review the monitoring of responsible gambling and how you can get help, in case of need. You can see which is the body that regulates casinos and operators in PA too. When we finish this, we decided to research a bit about the history of Pennsylvania gambling habits. You will see the most famous gamblers around the state and some key facts as well. In the very end, you will find a number of questions, which happen to be the ones that players ask very frequently.
The Most Important Pennsylvania Gambling Laws
It is fifteen years already that Pennsylvania has legal and regulated land-based casinos. In 2004, the state finally passed a bill that was long-awaited and desired. The first fights for it were at the beginning of the ’90s and kept on for more than a decade. Back then, the main objections were that legalized gambling would increase criminal activity in the state.
If you are wondering who is responsible for the passing of the most significant Pennsylvania online gambling laws, you can thank a man called Tom Wolf. He is the governor that signed the bill back in 2017. Since then, it was a bit of a struggle for operators to inquire their licenses and, as you already saw, there are still certain products like online poker that are not available for the players.
PA gambling laws state that the legal Pennsylvania gambling age and both land-based casinos and online operators are very strict about it. Underage gambling is not tolerated, and you will have to pass a verification process before to be allowed to play. Another important thing is that all winnings from casinos, lotteries or any other type of gambling undergo the laws of Commonwealth taxation of Pennsylvania.
PA Problem Gambling vs. PA Responsible Gambling
Let’s talk about the problems that gambling can cause to a small, but yet present, number of players. We all start playing with a clear mind to not lose too much, in case we end up unlucky for a day. And most of us are perfectly capable of setting their limits without the help of organizations or operators. Still, some players experience difficulties and need assistance. The online sites usually give you the options for self-limitations or self-exclusion, but in case this is not enough you can seek professional help from the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania.
The regulating authority in the state is the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which was created in 2004, together with the legalization of the sector. It is the body that licenses and monitors the entire gambling activity in PA. The headquarters are in Harrisburg and if you are curious, you can see the official website of the PGCB. They also enforce responsible gambling practices among the operators, together with strict rules about intoxicated and underage gambling as well.
The History of Gambling in Pennsylvania
The Keystone State, as we said, is climbing the charts when it comes to gambling. It is beat only by Nevada, which somehow, we don’t really find surprising. The struggle of the state to finally legalize betting was very long and Pennsylvanian players are obviously eager to gamble. Still, there were citizens of Philadelphia that were against the building of casinos in certain spots of the city. Therefore, the City Council allowed a referendum to happen, noticing that people had the right to decide where and how things are being positioned and build in their homeplace. Another important thing to be said about the Pennsylvania gambling history is that the state decided to have the highest casino taxes in the entire US – the striking 55 percent on the slot revenue. At least they kept them lower when it comes to table games, with just 14%.
Famous PA Gamblers
Pennsylvania, like almost every state or country, gave birth to some very peculiar gambling stories and, of course, people too. And we know how curious players can be when it comes to fellow gamblers. That is why we decided to show you the most notorious gambling-related personas from Pennsylvania. We picket two names for our page. One was a philanthrope, while the other faced charges! Let’s not make the things lengthier than needed – see for yourself what we are talking about…
Bill Benter
Bill Benter
William Benter or Bill was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and he also grew up there. Being peculiarly good in math, after graduating in 1977 he ‘hit the road’ to Las Vegas! In seven years, he was banned from a big part of the casinos in the city. Then he improved his methods even more, with the help of a fellow gambler and horse racing devotee. His math skills and his friend’s knowledge resulted in the development of software that analyses horse races. Even up to now, Benter raises big sums for charity organizations with his most noticeable donation being one million dollars to the University of Pittsburgh.
Nick Perry
Nick Perry
Nick Perry is not a gambler at all. He was a radio and TV persona back in 1980. But there is a scandal rotating around him and a few other people. What happened was that in the Pennsylvania Lottery, all the balls are weighted, so people are sure that numbers are drawn at random. Well, almost all. The 6 ball was not. Obviously, Nick and his crew purchased a number of tickets with different combinations of the number six and also played them in bookmakers. In April, surprisingly, the 666 came out. But the bookies and lottery staff noticed the strange patterns of betting and they tipped the police. The result was that six men (how thematic), among which also Perry, were investigated and charged.
Key Facts and Further Details About Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is in the northeast part of the US, with a population of around 12 million people. It is known as the Keystone State, but the origin of the nickname is unclear. It is believed that it comes from the times when nine delegations were voting for the independence and four were for it, while four were opposing. Pennsylvania ended up being the ‘keystone’ vote. An interesting fact that we would like to mention is that the tax revenue from gambling for the past year is around 1.4 billion dollars. Below you can see a table with some other numbers that might catch your interest.
| Population | 12,807,060 |
|---|---|
| Min. Income/month | $1,256.67 |
| Largest Land-based Casino | Parx Casino |
| Gambling Commissioner | Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board |
| Spoken Languages | English 90.15%, Spanish 4.09%, German 0.87% |
| Famous Sports Teams | Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Eagles |
| Pennsylvania Tax Authority | Pennsylvania Department of Revenue |
| Link to the State Law | https://www.legis.state.pa.us |
| Gambling Winning Tax | Up to 24% (depending on winnings amount) |
| State Website Link | https://www.pa.gov/ |
| Pennsylvania Gamblers | Bill Benter |
Pennsylvania is a very interesting state, which can grant you much more than just gambling opportunities. Still, betting remains one of the newly discovered strengths in PA. And if up to a few years ago people were going from Pennsylvania to New Jersey or even Nevada, now gamblers come to the Keystone State. This is great for you, in all means, because we are sure that more development will follow!
Our Grand Finale About Pennsylvania Gambling
The time has come to say goodbye to our readers and our article is reaching its end. We tried to give you all the information that we could find about the different types of gambling in Pennsylvania that you can try. In terms of diversity, the state has everything that you can dream of. From slots to table games and sports betting, it is all there, waiting for you to play. The online gambling is freshly regulated, therefore we are prepared that some changes might happen. But we promise to keep you updated on them all.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gambling in PA
The last remaining section is about the queries that people usually have when they start researching gambling in Pennsylvania. We gathered a few questions, that most likely popped in your head up to now and we tried to give them answers that are easy to understand and straight-forward. We hope you will find them useful!
What Is the Legal Gambling Age in Pennsylvania?
If you want to gamble in Pennsylvania you must be at least 21 years old. Keep in mind that both brick and mortar casinos and online operators follow strictly the rules and oppose underage gambling. You will be asked to verify your age in both types of casinos.
Is online gambling legal in PA?
Online gambling is legal in PA, but the road to legalization was not easy. Offline gaming was legalized in 2004. After that, in 2017, Governor Tom Wolf signed the bill for regulating also Pennsylvania online gambling. The latter, however, is taking some time and while legal, online poker, for example, is still not available in the state.
What Is the Best Casino in Pennsylvania?
The best casino, according to players and reviews, appears to be Harrah’s Philadelphia. Except for a casino, which is impeccable, Harrah’s has also a track for horse races. Apparently, the Sports Bar & Grill is a favorite place of gamblers and sports lovers too.