In a surprise move, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) decided to re-open the petition period for casino operators located outside the state to enter Pennsylvania’s expanding online gaming market.
Interested parties can submit their application during a two-month period starting on January 3, 2023. The petitions cost $4 million each and can be applied to one of three online casino areas including online slots, online table games, such as online blackjack, and online poker.
After applying, potential operators of PA Online Casinos could be waiting for years before their application is approved or denied. Several operators, including Golden Nugget, continue to wait for a decision after spending $8 million on application fees for a license to run online slots and table games after applying in 2019.
Most online operators acquire their license after partnering with one of the state’s brick-and-mortar casinos. Originally BetMGM hoped to enter the online gambling market as a standalone operation in 2019, but due to delays, they moved to partner with two Pennsylvania casinos, Hollywood Casino Penn National and Morgantown.
