Although online gambling has been possible for just over three years, already multiple top sites offer their services to players of the Keystone State. Consider this your ultimate guide and keep reading to discover the history of PA gambling, the best online casinos in Pennsylvania, the laws that govern them and what you need to keep in mind when choosing where to play.
Top notch $2,000 deposit bonus Great variety of games in offer Caesars rewards system for special promos Caesars NJ online casino is perhaps one of the best out there. In fact, no Caesars online casino review would be complete without mentioning the great selection of games, great customer service contact options, and the excellent level of security. This online casino is well worth spending time on thanks to its great graphics and overall enjoyable atmosphere. Caesars NJ online casino really is here to stay.
Over 410 games & Live Dealer available Awesome $1,000 match deposit bonus Wide variety of slot games BetMGM online casino is without a doubt one of the best online casinos around. With a very impressive selection of games and a wide range of bonuses and promotions, it’s no wonder this casino is very popular. The customer service options are very good, as is the level of security. BetMGM NJ online casino is well worth visiting.
Licensed and legal in the USA Risk-free sports bet for new customers This Borgata Casino online casino review was a real pleasure to research. This online casino clearly knows how to please its players. With a huge selection of games and impressive withdrawal speed, Borgata Casino could be one of the best NJ casinos around. Customer service and security are very good, and players are set to enjoy spending their time online.
Below are some key facts about gambling in this state:
Permission | Notes | |
Age restriction | 21 and above, for both online and land-based | |
Who can play | Both residents and visitors to the state | |
Land-based casinos | ✅ | 12 |
Online casinos | ✅ | 10 |
Authority that oversees gambling | ✅ | Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board |
First online casino launch date | ✅ | July 2019 |
Keep in mind that playing at sites while in a Pennsylvania land-based casino is blocked.
Traditionally, this state had a conservative approach to gambling and there had been several failures in passing a gaming act during the 90s, but it was later successfully regulated as described in the following timeline.
Any online gaming site looking to enter the territory will need to partner with a local land-based establishment. They must make sure that their players are at least 21 years old and that they are physically located within state limits while playing.
Application one-off fee (depending on vertical) | $4m to $12m |
Renewal fee – due every five years | $250,000 |
Annual gross income tax for peer-to-peer and table games | 16% |
Annual gross income tax for slots | 54% |
Online casino gambling in Pennsylvania has been greatly beneficial. It generated around $1.1 billion in revenue in 2021 with another $340 million from online sports betting.
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest draws of online casinos when compared to land-based ones, is their bonus offers. Those sites listed on our top lists, all offer attractive casino bonuses and promotions. Often, new players are bestowed with a welcome bonus that can include one or more of the following:
If you register with more than one casino, you will be able to benefit from multiple bonuses and promotions and enjoy even more games.
Players frequenting online casinos in Pennsylvania will find remarkably similar casino games to those offered by land-based establishments.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board permits three types of games at platforms and these are poker, table games and slot machines.
Lottery-type games including keno and bingo as well as virtual sports and scratchcards are only provided by the Pennsylvania State Lottery site and you’ll not find these games at local casinos. Slots are the most popular type of game in this state, followed by classic table games such as blackjack, roulette and craps.
Now, let’s look at what sorts of slots and table games you can find online.
Some slot titles will mimic their land-based casino counterparts while others are made exclusively for online use. On the best platforms, you’ll find titles that were created by American as well as European game software producers such as NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Microgaming, Scientific Games, Everi, IGT, and Slingo. Some slots come with simple mechanics while others are complex, applying multiple reels and various bonus features. Popular slot titles in PA include Starburst, Jumanji, Divine Fortune, Spartacus, Crazy Money 2, and Sisters of Oz Jackpots.
Five-card, four-card and three-card poker titles are available on most sites, but you’ll also find titles such as Jacks or Better and Tens or Better with most offering draw poker variants.
You’ll find all the familiar table games like Craps, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat; and they offer significantly lower minimum wagers than those in land-based establishments. The most popular game is blackjack and most sites have over 10 variants, including special titles such as First-person blackjack, Blackjack surrender and Perfect blackjack.
Most online casinos in PA will allow you to play games for free - so you can practice poker and blackjack strategies before you attempt to play for real money.
Signing up at a new online casino in PA will give players the chance to claim yet another welcome bonus. If you have already tried various platforms established during the early years of Pennsylvania’s gambling legislation, then it may be time to check out some of the newer ones:
Casino | Established | Website |
PointsBet | April 2022 | https://pa.pointsbet.com/ |
BetWay | June 2021 | https://us.betway.com/ |
Twinspires | Apr 2021 | https://pa.twinspires.com/ |
Feb 2021 | https://casino.pa.borgataonline.com/ | |
Dec 2020 | https://casino.betmgm.com/ |
Gambling winnings are considered a form of income and must be declared to the IRS under “Other Income” and pay federal tax on them.
The good news is that there’s a limit under which you don’t have to pay gambling tax. The limits vary for different games.
Type of tax | Rate | Comment |
Federal income tax rate | 24% | Tax is only payable if winnings are over:
|
Personal income tax rate | 3.07% |
By law, platforms in this state must withhold 25% of tax on winnings of $5,000 or more from those who have provided a social security number to the casino.
The site is also responsible for sending the player and the IRS a form W-2G, which outlines the winnings.
Punters will find plenty of high-quality entertainment both online and in physical establishments. The state has 12 operating brick-and-mortar casinos and almost as many platforms. Whether you are looking for a traditional and well-established casino or a newer site, you have plenty of choices. These are our recommendations for the best land-based and online casinos.
Most popular land-based casinos | Most popular online casinos |
Mount Airy | |
Mohegan Sun Pocono | |
Parx | |
Harrah’s Philadelphia | |
Rivers | |
Hollywood at Penn National Racecourse | |
Lady Luck Nemacolin |
We would recommend playing at both online casinos and land-based establishments as you can experience the best of both worlds. You can practice against the computer and test your skills at a real table against real players.
Since every US state can decide on their own gambling regulations, there can be different rules and other considerations you should know about.
If you are considering playing at any of our recommended online casinos in Pennsylvania, then you will be spoiled for choice with all the bonuses, slots, and table games an average site offers. And now that you have an idea which are the best ones to visit, choosing should be easy so you can get playing straight away.
The legal age is 21 for both land-based and online casinos in Pennsylvania.
Sports betting, poker, table games, horse racing and lottery types of games.
No, you don’t. All sites have a local land-based casino partner, but you don’t have to visit them to sign up for their online counterparts.
You can verify the licensing information on the platform. All of those on our list of recommended online casinos in Pennsylvania are fully legal and licensed.
Not all sites offer no deposit bonuses but some of them do. Check out our casino bonuses page.
No, you don’t have to be a resident of the state, however, you’ll have to be physically in the state when playing real money games.
Absolutely! You can.
Questions? Email us:
[email protected]
Copyright © Profit Squad 2022.
All Rights Reserved. | Void where prohibited.
Applicable to users over the age of 21.
If you are concerned about gambling visit:
ProfitSquad is owned and operated by Parallel Value Ltd, Reg: C101034, Malta
