Since expansive gambling regulations were introduced in 2017, the Pennsylvania online casino industry has continued to grow. The first far-reaching state gambling laws were passed in 2004, when slot casinos were introduced. Since then, the state has become one of the friendliest in the US to both casino gamblers and casino operators.

What does all of this means for players? Mainly, that there’s a ton of options for all types of online gambling in PA. Let us narrow the field for you with our own picks for the best PA casinos and share a bit more about the history of PA gambling.

Top Pennsylvania Online Casinos

We count all of our recommendations as some of best legal US casinos out there.

Page Contents

PA Gambling Laws Online Poker in PA Online Sports Betting in PA PA Gambling History Top Online Casinos for PA Gamblers Land-based PA Casinos Gambling Responsibly in PA FAQs

Pennsylvania online casinos are permitted under House Bill 271. The bill was passed by state lawmakers on October 26, 2017, and signed into law on October 30, 2017 by Governor Tom Wolf. Better known as the Truck Stop and Satellite Casino Bill, HB 217 had many impacts on gambling in PA.

Some Impacts of House Bill 271

  • Licensed casinos are able to apply for online casino licenses in PA; mobile apps and operators are as well. Twelve of licenses are initially issued.

  • Truck stops can qualify to host slot-style video gambling terminals.

  • With consent, licensed casinos can seek approval to operate gambling parlors in airport terminals in PA.

  • Daily Fantasy sports are regulated and taxed and all players must be 18 years or older.

Is Online Poker Legal is PA?

Online poker is included in the regulations introduced as a result of HB 271. Based on our list or recommended online poker casinos, bettors will have no problem finding an operator hosting their favorite poker variation using top-tier gaming software.

Online Sports Betting Legal Status

Sports betting online, at retail casinos, and on mobile apps is regulated in Pennsylvania. The federal government paved the way for retail and online sports betting in Pennsylvania in 2018 when it rolled back the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) across the US. Since then Eagles and Flyers fans alike have been able to put money down on their favorite teams from Philly.

Sports betting received the go-ahead in 2017, but officially launched for retail in November 2018. Online sports betting was launched by licensed operators in Pennsylvania in May 2019.

Horserace Betting

Horserace betting was the first introduced type of gambling to be regulated in Pennsylvania. The state passed the Race Horse Industry Reform Act in 1959. The Act results in regulated horserace betting in Pennsylvania and the first PA racetrack opens in 1963, and several off-track betting locations are opened as well. Pennsylvania was also included in the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978.

The Pennsylvania State Lottery

A state lottery was introduced in Pennsylvania in 1971. Since then all proceeds have gone to the Lottery Fund, which uses the revenue to support programs for elderly residents. In 2010, Pennsylvania joined the multi-state Mega Millions game. As part of House Bill 271, in 2017 the state lottery was given the ability to offer keno and other online games of luck as well as hosting raffles and scratch cards.

Bingo in PA

The Pennsylvania Bingo Law was passed in 1981 giving residents of the Keystone State . Additionally, the Pennsylvania Local Option Small Games of Chance Act passed in 1988 allowed limited specific types of gaming in non-profit organizations as well as in for-profit taverns.

Retail Casino Laws

Land-based casinos have been regulated in Pennsylvania since Act 71 permitted slot casinos to open. Commercial gambling in PA is governed under sections of Title 18 and Title 4 of the PA General Assembly, permitting:

  • Licensed horse and harness racing
  • Daily drawings, pull-tabs, and tavern raffles for a charitable purpose are permitted.
  • Bookmaking, punch boards, private wire for gambling information, cockfighting, and bullet play are not permitted.
  • Bingo, small games of chance sponsored by charitable organizations, and antique slot machines are permitted.
  • The minimum wager allowed is $0.01, and the maximum is $15,000.

Gambling History in PA — Timeline

Pennsylvania may be a recent entrant in the US casino industry, but it is a powerhouse for revenue. Pennsylvania out paces New Jersey only to Nevada and out-paces New Jersey. The history that got us here is full of ups and downs.

1959: The Race Horse Industry Reform Act marks Pennsylvania’s first step on a long road to online gambling.

1971: Act 91 (the Pennsylvania Lottery Act) establishes a state lottery controlled by the government.

1981: The Pennsylvania Bingo Law regulates bingo for fundraising purposes. Other games of chance follow in 1988 (raffles, draws, etc.).

1980s: Business interests push for a bill to allow retail casinos to operate in PA but polling shows residents are not receptive to the idea, seeing Nevada as a leading example of what they did not what to happen in Pennsylvania.

1993–1994: Advocates of casinos continue to push for gambling operations to be legitimized, pushing for riverboat casinos. Opposition to the idea remains strong, and Governor Tom Ridge insists a referendum be held before he would support any pro-casino legislation.

1999: A bill is approved the by the PA State House to allow a referendum to take place on the question of implementing slot machines at racetracks and video poker at taverns, and allowing riverboat casinos to be developed. The referendum is never scheduled.

2004: In the new millennium negative attitudes towards gambling shift and are less negative. The casino industry has become more legitimate and mitigated the involvement of organized crime. The Pennsylvania Racehorse Development and Gaming Act (Act 71) is passed. This allows slots casinos and racetracks in PA. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) is established

2004–2005: In the first regulated operating, year seven casinos in Pennsylvania net the state $766 million dollars in tax revenue.

2008–2009: Pennsylvania’s slots revenues are second only to Nevada.

2010: A bill amending Act 71 is passed. Tables games (poker, roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps and more) are now permitted at PA casinos.

2017: Governor Tom Wolf signs a bill to expand gambling in Pennsylvania. The bill is far reaching and allows for the expansion, regulation and taxation of satellite casinos, truck stop gambling, online gambling, the state lottery, airport gambling parlors, daily fantasy sports, retail and online sports betting.

2018: Applications open for online gaming licenses through the PCGB after the federal government repeals the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The responsibility of licensing and regulating sports betting is now in the hands of individual states.

Best PA Casinos Online

Get some more info before deciding which of our best PA casinos is right for you. All of our top five recommendations have been thoroughly vetted in our online casino reviews.

Las Atlantis

Las Atlantis Casino Logo

Las Atlantis has one of the most modern and unique user interfaces on this list. Relatively new on the market, the game library is still developing, but is regularly updated with new games.

The slots library has the biggest variety, and there’s at least one option for classic table games.

The welcome bonus offer is the highlight of Las Atlantis. Up to $14,000 in match deposits on slots titles is up for grabs.

The banking options are somewhat limited right; notably no digital wallets are accepted at the moment.

Visit Las Atlantis Las Atlantis

El Royale

el royale casino logo

El Royale is all in on players looking a great slots library, while their table game offerings are more limited.

There’s a great variety of bonuses on top of deposit matches; you’ll find lots of opportunities for free spins, which have an assigned value for players to wager.

Navigating the site is a breeze, with links to the games, promotions, and banking sitting atop the homepage for easy access.

Visit El Royale El Royale Review

Bovada

Bovada logo

Bovada is the highest ranking combination sportsbook and casino on our list. This mainstay site has been around since 2011 and has built an impressive platform for every type of gambler.

As a new player, you’ll receive a 100% deposit bonus worth up to $3,000 across three total deposits. A highlight is a crypto-only welcome bonus of up to $3,750.

There’s a healthy library of live dealer games, and Bovada is excellent regarding a variety of table games.

Of Bovada’s broad variety of payment methods it’s worth noting the ability for players to withdraw their winnings as a voucher.

Visit Bovada Bovada Casino Review

DuckyLuck

Ducky Luck Casino Logo

DuckyLuck’s vibrant design is eye-catching to say the least. But the best aspect of DuckyLuck is the robust player rewards program, DuckyBucks. With every deposit players earn points in a tiered system.  Depending on your tier you’ll receive cashback, birthday gifts, custom bonus packages, comp points, reload offers, and more.

The slots library is impressive but there’s a solid variety of tables games that includes several poker, roulette and blackjack varieties.

The welcome bonus is a 500% match up to $2,500 and 150 free spins. While the $2,500 may be less than the others listed above, the 500% match calls for much less upfront for the deposit.

Visit DuckyLuck DuckyLuck Review

As one of the biggest states for gambling, we know players looking for a new PA online casino will want a broad variety of high quality games. We’ve got everything you need to know about popular gambling types and the best sites that offer them:

Sports Betting
Start Online Sports Betting in PA
Video Poker
Video Poker for PA Residents
Table Games
Table Games Casinos in PA
Live Dealer
Live Dealer Casinos for PA Players
Slots
Play Slots Online in PA

Retail Casinos in Pennsylvania

With a well-regulated but relaxed attitude towards gambling, it’s not surprising that Pennsylvania is second only to Nevada (Vegas, baby!) when it comes to retail casinos. Several are actually dual casino-horserace tracks known as “racinos.” Here are our top picks:

In 2018 Pennsylvania hosted another auction of 10 additional licenses for mini casinos, also known as satellite casinos, which condense their offerings of games compared to larger establishments such as Harrah’s. Although ten licenses were available, only five were sold. Of those five currently only two are planned to be built.

The Future of Pennsylvania Online Casinos

It should come as no surprise that the future for online gambling in the state of PA is exceptionally bright. When legislation in favor of gambling online passed a few years ago, it paved the way for explosive growth.

We predict more Pennsylvania online casino sites entering the market over the next few years. Additionally, we predict the number of patrons using online casinos over brick and mortar locations to grow.

Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for PA Online Gambling

Every online casino review we do at Best US Casino’s is assessed against our six variables, one of which is payment methods. Below you’ll see some of the brands and companies we look out for at US gambling sites as deposit methods and withdrawal options.

Credit Cards

Visa Mastercard American Express Disocver

Crypto

Bitcoin Litecoin Bitcoin Cash Ethereum Tether

Digital Wallets

Cashapp Paypal Skrill Zelle

Traditional Banking

These old school methods can make payouts and deposits take a little longer, but for some players the security of a bank’s endorsement matters more.

Wire Transfer Western Union

How We Rank Online Casinos in PA

With many great real money Pennsylvania online casino sites to choose from, we get the ability to be picky. Our goal is to ensure we’re only recommending the best Pennsylvania online casinos.

No one came here with second-best in mind. When you gamble online with your hard-earned money, you want the best experience possible.

To ensure that happens, we’ve commissioned an expert team of reviewers to review, rate, and rank the top Pennsylvania online casino sites. Below, you’ll see a sneak peek at the three most important criteria they look at when making their determinations.


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Safety & Security

Pennsylvania online casinos won’t get our list of best US online casinos if they can’t guarantee the protection of your money, bets, and personal information. There are zero acceptable excuses when it comes to keeping you safe when gambling online in Pennsylvania.

Here are the critical questions we ask of all Pennsylvania online gambling sites we review:

  • Are player security and safety as priorities?
  • Does the site have a proactive or reactive approach to threats?
  • Is the site SSL-encrypted?
  • Are the casino’s banking partners trustworthy?
  • Are technical upgrades and maintenance a priority?

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Game Variety & Quality

Any ranked online casinos need to deliver 1) a large game library and 2) high-quality gaming experiences for every game in that library. When we are reviewing casinos we are loo for fast page responses, quality graphics and overall smooth gaming experience.

We’ve attached our quality control checklist that we apply to online casino sites below to share some insight into the process:

Newest Casino Games Available✔️ or ❌
Collection of Classic Casino Games Available✔️ or ❌
Best Game Graphics✔️ or ❌
Game Animations – Smooth and Seamless✔️ or ❌
Server Speed – Fast and Sufficient✔️ or ❌
Fairness in All Games✔️ or ❌
24/7 Customer Service Options Available✔️ or ❌

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Bonuses & Promotions

When rating a new PA online casino we are always on the lookout for the bonuses and promotions available. With casinos do everything they can to grab your attention it can be hard to identify the offers that will actually get you the most bang for your buck. Here are a few types of offers we will always take the time to look at more closely:

  • No-deposit bonuses and promo codes always catch our eye. (But be wary of impossible wagering and rollover requirements!)

  • Crypto welcome bonuses. All digital and almost completely anonymous, there’s tons of casinos offering big perks to players willing to wager with Bitcoin.

  • Free-to-enter promotions and sweepstakes. No wagers or rollover requirements for these, we love when free-entry contests pop up on our radar.

  • Loyalty programs and returning player perks. Like any modern company, legit online casinos want players to keep playing.

More Bonus Types

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Payment Options

When a casino is eager to take your money by offering a slew of deposit methods, but then limits your withdrawal options it always raises a red flag for us. Any reputable online casino will make it as easy as possible for players to leave with their winnings. Players choosing any of Best US Casinos’ recommended sites will never find themselves confused about how to withdraw their money; and that’s whether you deal with crypto, credit cards, digital wallets like the Cash App, or even prefer traditional old school banking methods like wire transfers.


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Customer Support

These days, comprehensive customer supports goes beyond a toll-free number for a call center. To get top marks from us, a casino will have a well-rounded help center answering players’ frequently asked questions, as well as a live chat function with responsive and knowledgeable agents. The standard of the day is rapid response service; none of us want to be waiting 1-2 business days for a vague response to an email we forgot sending.


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UI & Mobile Experience

Whether you’re Team Android or Team Apple, stats show that mobile devices are what you’re most likely to use to gamble online these days. That’s why, if we’re reviewing a site’s user experience, we’re going to look at the casino app before we check the main site. They may seem the same, because most casinos have web-based apps instead of downloadable software, but sometimes the mobile version of a site has a more limited game library or more navigational glitches. This is what we’re on the look out for.

Gambling Safely & Responsibly in PA

One of the best things to come out of Pennsylvania’s robust gambling regulations is the PGCB’s website dedicated to responsible play and its 1-800-GAMBLER hot line. The site is full of resources for players looking to take control of their gambling habits should they become a problem. The Self-Exclusion program allows people to request the state to exclude them from retail and online casinos in PA. If you think you have a gambling problem or addiction, there a resources to help you.

PA Gambling Legislation

Looking for more information about the legal status of gambling in PA? Interested in how its status has changed over time in the state? Check out the primary sources below. We’ve also got you covered with all the latest gambling news for PA.

Source(s):
Race Horse Development and Gaming Act 1971 Act 91 State Lottery Law House Bill 271 (2017 gambling bill) Title 72 (includes gambling taxation) The Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

Pennsylvania Online Casino Site FAQs

  • Gambling and lottery winnings are classified as a form of income under 72 PA C.S. §7303(a)(7). This means they will be subject to income federal and Pennsylvania state income tax regulations.

  • The legal gambling age in Pennsylvania is 18 years old for sports betting, horse racing and casino games. However, you must be 21 to play at a land-based casino.

  • All of our recommended sites are real money online casinos available to PA residents.

  • Yes. We never recommend online casino sites that don’t have high-quality mobile gaming offerings. You’ll be able to play all games for real money from your phone or tablet in PA.

  • All of the casinos we recommend for players in Pennsylvania are licensed and regulated by international gaming commissions. They are encrypted sites and use secure payment methods. We’d never discourage from doing your own research though!

  • You could win a lot of money. But it is important to remember there are no guaranteed winnings. Even in table games like blackjack, baccarat, or roulette where you can use strategy to increase your odds of a payout. Slot machines have large jackpots, but they use random number generators for a reason. Our best advice is to never rely on a casino for a big pay day.