PA Online Gambling – Complete Guide for Legal Apps and Sites in Pennsylvania
PA online gambling is on the rise and local players are amongst the luckiest in the online gambling USA scene because they have very diverse betting options. Pennsylvania’s much-anticipated online casino industry kicked off in July 2019. Unlike sportsbooks in the commonwealth, casinos in the Keystone State are allowed to partner with as many skins (PA online gambling brands) as they want to. All but one casino purchased a license to offer some form of iGaming, which means you’ve got plenty of choices for gambling online, whether you’re a resident or just visiting.
If you want to know more about your PA online gambling options, this How To Bet guide will answer all your questions. We’re going to look at the history of legal online gambling in Pennsylvania and examine its online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms in more detail.
But that’s not all. We’ll also introduce some of the ways you can benefit from the best PA gambling online offers, bonuses, and promotions in the many online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms the Keystone State has to offer.
In October 2017, Pennsylvania state legislators approved bill H 271 that legalized PA online poker rooms, casinos and sportsbooks. The legislation was part of a comprehensive gambling expansion package and regulatory oversight was awarded to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Thanks to this legislation, the PA online gambling market is now firing on all cylinders. Players in the Keystone State have multiple online casinos, poker rooms, and sports betting sites to choose from.
Revenue from PA Gambling Online
Online gambling in the state has raised sizable amounts of revenue. For example, in March 2019, just five months after sports betting launched, the handle topped $100 million total. By November of the same year, it had cleared $1 billion. One year later in December 2020, the number was $5 billion. In 2021, following a drop in casino revenue thanks to pandemic-related shutdowns, revenue rebounded and set a 2021 state record of more than $4.7 billion.
Here are some of the PA gambling online gross revenue monthly records:
Online casino (non-banking poker tables) $5.25M (April 2020)
Slots: $233.15M (March 2012)
Online slots $79,196,510 (March 2022)
Video Gaming Terminals $3.851M (April 2021)
Complete List of Legal Online Gambling Sites and Apps in Pennsylvania
Residents and visitors to Pennsylvania can now enjoy a wide selection of gambling experience at one or more of the many online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms that are now legal.
All PA online gambling sites must be affiliated with a land-based casino in order to be legal, but there are no limits to the number of gambling brands a casino can be associated with.
Legal Online Casinos in Pennsylvania
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, you can legally play at licensed and regulated online casinos. However, you must be over 21 to play and located within state borders if you want to place a wager.
Online sports betting became legal in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2017. It’s been possible to place wagers on dozens of sports for several years now. The market includes dozens of sports taking place across the US and anywhere else in the world.
You can place your wagers using a desktop or via a PA sportsbook mobile app.
Daily Fantasy Sports betting is also legal in Pennsylvania, one of only a handful of states that have explicitly made DFS legal.
One more legal gambling option for Pennsylvanians and visitors is online poker. PokerStars PA was the first poker site to launch in the Keystone State. In the following year, three more sites launched in quick succession.
Which Operators are Best for Each Type of PA Online Gambling
Here’s the How To Bet selection of the best online casino, sports betting, and poker sites and apps in the Keystone State. All of the mentioned operators have passed with flying colors the tests we’ve put them through. These checked various aspects from sign up bonuses to user experience and safety. So here they are.
The Best Online Casino Gambling Websites and Apps in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s online casino industry launched to the eagerly waiting public in July 2019. There are plenty of choices for anyone who wants to spin the reels, roll the dice, or try one of the many other table games. This is because there are no limits to the number of PA online gambling brands a PA casino is allowed to partner with, as you can see in the PA online casino list.
Borgata Online Casino PA
Borgata online casino PA is a relative newcomer to the commonwealth. It launched in Pennsylvania in February 2021 following on from its success in other states. It has gained an exciting number of followers and continues to grow in popularity.
Caesars is possibly better known for its land-based hotels and casinos, but it has shown to be more than capable at capturing the hearts and minds of online casino players as well.
European gamblers have long been familiar with the Unibet brand, but now it’s branched out across the pond and is making a great success of its online casino. You can expect a vast range of games and a very user-friendly interface that makes playing the games a fantastic experience.
Rivers Casino is possibly better known as the BetRivers casino. This brand launched its sportsbook first, closely followed by the casino offering shortly after.
The BetMGM brand takes punters back to the days when MGM was one of the biggest movie productions companies in Hollywood. Its online casino is one of the more popular sites in the commonwealth.
The Best Online Poker Websites and Apps in Pennsylvania
Patience paid off for Pennsylvania’s poker players because PokerStars launched in the Keystone State in November 2019. This was a couple of years after the state’s gaming expansion package was signed into law. Many of the best PA online poker sites, and PA online gambling apps in general, offer new customers very attractive welcome bonuses that might include free cash.
If you’d like to know more details about your online poker options in Pennsylvania, How To Bet has a range of online reviews available for you to read.
PokerStars PA
PokerStars is possibly the most well-known brand when it comes to playing this popular game online. It’s the largest online poker provider in the world and there’s no denying its popularity in the Keystone State.
Borgata shares a network with BetMGM and is powered by online poker powerhouse PartyPoker. The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is the reason many gamblers head to the East Coast and now the brand offers an online poker experience as well.
What Casino Games Can You Play Online in Pennsylvania
Slots: These tend to be the most popular online games as well as topping the charts at land-based casinos. There is typically a massive variety and the chance to win big payouts on small bets. Many of the online casino slots can be found in land-based casinos, but there’s also a massive selection of online exclusives. Progressive jackpots that feature in some of these games can reach six figures as well.
Blackjack: This is the most popular table game because it’s simple to play and offers some of the best odds at a casino. Some blackjack variations have payback rates as high as 99.60%. To increase your chance of a win, it’s not frowned upon if you use a blackjack strategy card.
Roulette: Roulette is another super easy game to play and you have the option of choosing good odds and low payouts or bad odds and high payouts. It’s also quite a thrilling game to participate in and watch. Payouts range from double or nothing (black/red, odd/even, etc) to 35 to 1 for a single number bet.
Other table games: Other table games you’ll commonly find online include casino poker, craps, and baccarat.
Video poker: You’ll find a much wider variety of video poker games online than you would in any land-based casino. You’ll see the standard nine-in-one video poker game “Game King”, as well as multi-hand poker and other unique online variations.
Live dealer games: If you’re looking for a real-life alternative to the standard digital table games at online casinos, liver dealer games offer a totally immersive experience. Live dealer games feature actual dealers at physical tables. The games are live streamed to players sitting at home and bets take the form of digital chips. Live dealer games include:
Live dealer blackjack
Live dealer roulette
Auto roulette
Blackjack unlimited
Which Sports Can You Bet on Online in Pennsylvania
Professional sports have a long history in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All of the major pro leagues have teams that are based there, but rooting interest tends to be split down the middle, in most cases. Online sports gambling PA punters have a choice of teams from two major cities to choose from.
NFL: Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers
NBA: Philadelphia 76ers
MLB: Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates
NHL: Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins
Unlike many other US states, betting on college sports is legal. There are no restrictions on in-state teams, however, player props on college athletes are strictly forbidden. The top attractions are Penn State and Pitt for football, while it’s Temple and Villanova for basketball.
Other major sports you can bet on include golf, UFC, and soccer, all of which generate a lot of betting interest. Many of the available sportsbooks also offer a selection of smaller sports, including darts, lacrosse, and cricket.
The law limits betting on actual sports competitions, but the lines can get very blurred around Super Bowl time. Props may be tied to the coin flip and other not-quite-on-field events.
What Poker Games Can You Play Online in Pennsylvania
There are a lot of different ways to play poker, not all of which are available everywhere. The main reason for this is the available player base. The less popular a given format or game is, the less likely you’ll find it in an area with a limited player pool. That being said, your options in Pennsylvania are as follows:
Cash games
Scheduled tournaments
Sit-and-go tournaments
Lottery sit-and-go tournaments
No-limit Texas Hold’em is the one poker game you’ll find almost everywhere. But alongside that, several other variants are available including Pot-Limit Omaha, stud variants, draw variants, and lowball games.
Payouts and Odds at PA Online Gambling Sites and Apps
If you’re not sure which of your gambling options are best for you, payouts and odds provide an objective outlook on the matter.
Average payouts for real money casino games are fixed, however, those for sports will fluctuate, so keep in mind that they change regularly. Return to Player percentages provide a theoretical insight into how much real money you’ll use for and how much you can expect to get back. Sportsbooks use profit margins to determine the operator’s advantage.
In the table below, there are some examples of the most interesting PA online gamnling markets you can bet on, as well as their average rates in Pennsylvania.
Casino Game
Payout
Slots
83.45% – 99.67%
Roulette
88.37% – 98.68%
Blackjack
90.28% – 99.74%
Online Poker
90.33% – 99.47%
Keno
93.98% – 96.15%
Baccarat
83.07% – 98.89%
Sport
Payout
Soccer
90.53% – 93.65%
Basketball
92.01% – 93.55%
Cricket
93.34% – 94.15%
MMA
95.47% – 95.76%
Table Tennis
89.70% – 91.66%
Tennis
91.70% – 93.32%
Online Gambling in Pennsylvania in Comparison With Other States
Pennsylvania was the fourth state to legalize online gambling in the United States. The Keystone State followed in the footsteps of Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware. Oklahoma and California offer more land-based casinos, however, Pennsylvania brings in more gambling revenue than any state other than Nevada.
While several other states permit legal online gambling, few offer the same diversity of products as the Keystone State. New Jersey also allows online casino, poker, and sports betting, but Nevada only legalized online poker and sports betting. Delaware has online poker and casinos, but did not legalize online sports betting. Other states offer even fewer online gambling options.
Benefits of Legal PA Online Gambling over In-Person Gambling
PA online gambling options are very varied, there’s no denying that fact. Plenty of people are enjoying their online experience because there are several benefits compared with in-person gambling.
Let’s compare the two options further in this table:
PA online gambling
Land-based gambling PA
Access to multiple operators
Unique atmosphere
Ease of use
Excellent customer service
Exciting welcome offers
Live interaction with dealers
Doesn’t require a physical presence
You can enter various events
Mobile device access is possible
Exciting VIP perks and entertainment
How to Pick the Best Online Gambling PA Site or App
How To Bet examines each option on your behalf, and only recommends the best operators so that you can enjoy an outstanding PA online gambling experience, whatever your game of choice. We base our selections on the following:
Security: Your security is a priority so we make sure our recommended sites and apps have strong security measures in place. There are some things you can do as well to further protect yourself, such as making sure your password is not generic, and being careful that the internet connection you use is not public. In addition, look for the small padlock at the top left of the browser.
Bonus offers: We like to see sites that offer a number of bonus and promo options.
Multiple game options: A broad range of gaming options makes a massive difference to your gaming experience.
Software: Great software is vital if you’re going to have a good time. All of the best online gambing PA sites and apps should have the best software.
Payment options: Operators should provide a range of secure choices for both deposits and withdrawals.
Licensing and regulation: We only ever recommend PA online gambling apps and sites that are licensed and regulated by a respected and trustworthy regulator.
How to Start Your Pennsylvania Online Gambling Journey
If you’re a newbie to the PA online gambling scene, there are a few steps you need to take, regardless of whether you’re going to be playing online casino games, poker online, or placing sports bets online. It’s a very simple process, but it’s crucial you make the right choices every step of the way.
Select a gambling product: Choose what type of gambling games you want to play. In Pennsylvania you’re very fortunate because your options are sports betting, casino games, or poker.
Ensure the platform is secure: Check that your chosen PA online gambling site is safe, secure, and licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Create an account: Create an account by completing the operator's registration process.
Check for welcome bonuses: Check if the operator offers a welcome bonus to its new players and use it to your advantage.
Choose a payment method: Make a deposit using one of the operator’s safe and convenient payment methods.
Follow these five steps correctly and you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.
Benefit from Free Bets, Promos, and Bonus Codes in Pennsylvania
Each one of our How To Bet recommended PA online gambling sites offers an exciting free bet, promo, or bonus code that is sure to get you excited about signing up and gambling some more. You can regularly check our Free PA Bets and Promo Codes page for constant updates of bonuses and promotions from online sportsbooks, casinos, and poker rooms in the Keystone State.
Of course, it’s important that you make yourself aware of the specific terms and conditions attached to each offer and bonus code so that you avoid any misunderstanding and unnecessary financial loss. The most important factors to consider include wagering requirements, expiry periods, and game contributions.
Responsible Online Gambling in Pennsylvania
For the majority of people, gambling, whether it’s sports betting or slot machines, is a form of entertainment. However, the same doesn’t apply to everyone. Some individuals experience gambling addiction that, if left untreated, can result in devastating consequences to their health, finance, family life and so forth.
State-licensed, regulated PA gambling operators are required to install certain speed bumps and off-ramps to help gamblers and their loved ones avoid the consequences of full-fledged, irresponsible gaming.
Account cool-off: You’re able to block access to your account for a specified amount of time, giving you a chance to take a step back and think things through before continuing.
Deposit limits: You can set a deposit limit during a specified period of time of your choosing.
Wager limits: This defines the maximum bet amount you are allowed to wager over a set period of time.
Session time limits: You can restrict the amount of time you are allowed to play during a single day.
Loss limits: In addition, you can limit the amount of money you can lose over a period of days, weeks or months.
Self-exclusion: Choose this option and casinos will bar you from playing on their sites for a period of one or five years.
In addition, there are also a number of organizations that can help if you think you might be struggling with gambling addiction.
Can I gamble online in PA is a very good question and the good news is yes you can and you don’t have to be a PA resident either.
Is online gambling legal in PA?
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Yes, it most certainly is. However, only casinos licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board are legal in the state.
Do I need to be in Pennsylvania to open a gambling account?
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No, you don’t and you can log in outside of PA borders. However, you must be physically located inside of The Keystone state lines to place bets.
Is it safe to play at PA gambling sites?
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How To Bet only features PA online gambling sites and apps that are licensed by the state Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Who is allowed to play for real money on PA gambling sites?
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The online gambling age in PA is 21 and over. Punters also have to be physically inside the borders of Pennsylvania in order to gamble for real money at PA online gambling sites. You do not need to be a resident to play and can do so even if you are just visiting. To ensure players are inside the state, operators use geolocation software to verify a players location.
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