Pennsylvania Online Gambling

Pennsylvania has always been home to a strong gambling community with bettors of all types. In July 2019, the path to legal Pennsylvania online gambling was cleared and those looking to place legal bets in PA could finally do so securely online, via a desktop computer or mobile device. There are plenty of gaming options available within the state, from casino staples like slots and card games, to all types of sports betting. 

As national gaming companies look to grab a stranglehold within their budding industry, PA bettors have the advantage of a competitive marketplace. Specifically, they can choose from a large selection of reliable betting companies such as FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings, and Caesars. 

The battle for the largest footprint in the U.S. is a win for the player. This page will help you track the constant flurry of welcome PA casino bonuses for new sign-ups and other promotions.  

Gamblers of all types enjoy a bevy of options within the Keystone State. Sports betting has grown more rapidly than any other industry, but both physical and online casinos provide so much more. Let’s take a quick look at the most popular forms of gambling in PA.  

1. Online Sports Betting

The rich history of sports in Pennsylvania has fostered the growth and popularity of PA sports betting. There’s a long list of online sportsbooks and apps available for PA sports bettors, so make sure to check out our top-rated options and reviews.

2. Online Casinos

Pennsylvania is home to the second-largest online casino market in the country, behind only neighboring New Jersey. There are 19 legal online casinos sites in the state, in addition to four different mobile options for online poker.

3. Online Poker

Once dormant in the U.S., online poker has enjoyed a massive resurgence since the height of its craze in the early 2000’s. PA online casinos (such as BetMGM) and specific poker sites (such as WSOP PA) both offer a wide variety of games with cash games and tournaments. 

4. Daily Fantasy Sports

Fondly known as DFS, daily fantasy sports is a massive enterprise among PA sports bettors. A large part of its appeal comes from inexpensive entry fees, which can be as low as $1. Top-rated sites like FanDuel and Draftking enjoy most of the state’s action, offering users daily prize pools for NFL, NBA, MLB, and PGA contests. 

5. Horse Racing

Few states are more strongly linked with “betting the ponies” than PA. It hosts six horse racing facilities and a few key events in the horse-racing world, including the Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Stakes. Many PA gambling sites offer horse racing wagers, but bettors can also place their action at an off-track betting establishment, known as an OTB.

They all do! There are 19 different options for PA online casino gaming. When Bally Casino officially launches soon, they’ll make it an even 20. Here’s a quick view of the top online casinos in the state with their corresponding online sportsbooks (those without a sportsbook listed don’t yet have one). 

New PA online gambling apps are entering the marketplace at a rapid pace. There are currently 19 legal online gambling sites and apps available in the state, but we’ll keep this page updated with the top options as they arrive. 

Here’s a look at the most highly-rated apps to play online casino games and sports in Pennsylvania

PA Casino Apps

May 2019 marked the first time PA bettors could perform legal Pennsylvania online gambling with a mobile app. Play Sugarhouse PA was first to launch, followed shortly by its sister brand Bet Rivers PA and BetParx a month later. Nowadays there are more than a dozen onlines casinos and apps available in PA with the plans for further brands to introduce their products to the market.

PA Sports Betting Apps

For PA sports bettors, there are 13 different books offering a sports betting app option. It’s a great time to join one as all of them offer various forms of welcome bonuses and promotions. PA has become known for its lax sports betting laws, allowing bettors to wager on a large menu of sports and betting types.

PA lawmakers initially kicked off the process to legalize gambling in their state in 2013. It wasn’t until four years later in 2017 that HB 271 was passed, opening the door for state’s to devise their own online gambling laws.  
Legal status of online gambling in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania kicked off legal gambling in 2018 with retail establishments only. By 2019, the digital versions made their debut, igniting a thriving online gambling industry in PA. 

At that time, many in the industry were concerned by the high taxes and fees it cost Pennsylvania online gambling companies to operate within the state. However, thanks in part to the success of online betting in the neighboring state of New Jersey, the marketplace continued to grow, inviting thousands of new users every week. 

By 2021, casinos in PA accepted nearly $40 billion in wagers and more than 90% of that action was placed via a mobile device.

The gambling age in PA

Players must be at least 21 years old in order to place a bet of any kind in Pennsylvania. This applies to both PA online gambling and retail.

Taxes on gambling winnings

The IRS considers any and all forms of gambling winnings as taxable income across all legal gambling states. Any profit accumulated through gambling is subject to a federal tax rate of 25%, withheld by the casino. If you fail to provide your book with a Social Security number, that number jumps to 28%.

The state of Pennsylvania also taxes your gambling winnings. At 3.07%, PA bettors enjoy the lowest rate of all states with flat gambling tax.

It’s important to remember that you’ll never have to pay taxes on money wagered, only money won. Any money lost on gambling is not taxable.  

How are casinos regulated?

With the passing of HB 271 in PA also came the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). The PGCB is constantly monitoring sportsbooks in its state to keep them honest. You can even reach out to the board if you are having issues withdrawing your money or need to dispute a claim against a particular sportsbook.

Residents of PA should be happy to know that the PGCG has also helped increase the state’s wealth through licensing fees directed towards legal sportsbooks. As a result, everyone in PA is able to enjoy lower property and wage taxes.

Our mission is to deliver insightful and transparent coverage of the legal online casino and sports betting industries in the U.S. On our site, you’ll find the latest legal gambling news, both casino and sports, across the country as states continue to legalize.

We aim to provide players with relevant and topical information to help them make legal and informed decisions. 

Josh Lander

As an avid gambler for the better part of the last 15 years, you can bet and believe that I know the rules and regulations surrounding the industry. And when I don’t know an answer, I know where to find it. I’ve specifically been covering the news of the gambling industry since 2019 as a writer for various outlets.

Getting the minute details correct is vital to allow new bettors to safely enter the space and experienced bettors the opportunity to benefit. And that’s what you’re going to get here on Play-Pennsylvania.com!

With years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the Pennsylvania gambling industry, our team of experts is here to ensure that you have the best possible gambling experience. We understand the importance of trust when it comes to choosing a gambling advisor, and that's why we pride ourselves on our transparency, integrity, and commitment to providing accurate and reliable information. Whether you're a seasoned player or a newcomer, here is why you should trust us.

Licensing Confirmation

We will never discuss an online casino or sportsbook without first confirming the validity of its gaming license with the PGCB. With that as the case, you can be assured that any company providing online gambling in PA that I discuss on our site is safe and secure. 

Protecting Your Personal Information

Additionally, any PA online gambling sites or apps in discussion will always provide the highest-level internal security measures. Specifically with banking deposits and withdrawals. Any book I discuss on our site will utilize the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). This security technology establishes an encrypted link between the book’s server and its users.

Beyond ensuring the safety of real-money transactions, these secure servers ensure the protection of your personal information as well. This means no one is selling your info to marketers, limiting the amount of unwanted emails, phone calls, and spam text messages. 

Reputable Online Casinos & Sportsbooks

A bettor’s preference for a particular casino or book is often subjective. Not everyone bets on the same games or sports and each gambling website or app offers slightly different experiences.

Still, I’m always concerned with the opinion of the majority. If a lot of former and current users are consistently reporting problems or frustrations with a product, I likely won’t even bother mentioning it within certain reviews.  

Always On Customer Support

No matter how well-run a casino or book may keep itself, things fall through the cracks in this fast-paced industry. When mistakes are made, bettors want to know the error will be fixed asap. A poor experience with customer support can make or break loyalty to a gambling site.

Most of the PA online gambling sites I’ll recommend will have 24/7 live customer service available to all account owners. At the very least, they’ll all provide the ability to contact someone within the company who can adequately serve its players.

Convenient Withdrawal Methods

As the saying goes “you mess with my money, you mess with my emotions.” I know people can be emotional about their money, especially when they can’t access it. If a gambling site proves itself a hassle to work with when it’s time to withdraw your well-earned cash, it’s not getting discussed.

Further, all of the online gambling brands in PA mentioned on our site will offer numerous ways to pull out your winnings. That said, it’s always best to own an account with various money-moving apps such as PayPal.