Online Gambling in Pennsylvania

Fully Legal
Online poker, casino, and sports betting are all licensed and regulated — and PA now shares poker pools with other states.
Online Poker Legal
Online Casino Legal
Sports Betting Legal
Daily Fantasy (DFS) Legal
Sweepstakes Casinos Prohibited
Where residents play online →

Legislative Timeline

2025-2026
Pennsylvania joins multi-state poker; sweepstakes crackdown

In April 2025 Governor Shapiro signed PA into the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, and shared-liquidity poker went live on April 28 (BetMGM/Borgata and WSOP first, then BetRivers). The PGCB also issued cease-and-desist orders to about 18 sweepstakes operators. In April 2026 PokerStars connected its PA pool to New Jersey and Michigan under the FanDuel brand.

Nov 2019
PokerStars PA launches — first regulated online poker Passed

PokerStars went live on November 4, 2019 under Mount Airy Casino’s license, becoming the first legal online poker room in Pennsylvania. BetMGM, WSOP, and others followed.

Jul 2019
Online casino goes live Passed

Pennsylvania’s regulated online casinos launched in July 2019. The market grew rapidly, and online gaming has since overtaken land-based casino revenue.

May 2019
Statewide mobile sports betting launches Passed

After retail sportsbooks opened in November 2018, statewide online and mobile sports betting went live on May 31, 2019.

Oct 2017
Act 42 authorizes online gambling Signed

Pennsylvania passed Act 42 of 2017, a landmark expansion legalizing online casino, online poker, sports betting, and daily fantasy sports — one of the most comprehensive gaming-expansion laws in the country.

2010
Table games authorized Passed

The 2004 Gaming Act was amended to allow table games — blackjack, roulette, and poker — at Pennsylvania casinos, alongside the existing slot machines.

2004
Act 71 legalizes slots and creates the PGCB Passed

The Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (Act 71 of 2004) legalized slot machines, created the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, and established the framework that still governs gaming today. The first casinos opened in 2006.

Online Poker in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has become one of the strongest regulated online poker markets in the US — rivalled only by New Jersey for depth. PokerStars PA launched first in November 2019 and remains the traffic leader; it now runs on the FanDuel Poker network. BetMGM Poker, Borgata Poker, WSOP PA, and BetRivers round out the five licensed rooms. (DraftKings also offers a fast jackpot sit-and-go product, Electric Poker.)

The pivotal development came in April 2025, when Pennsylvania joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA). Shared-liquidity poker went live on April 28, 2025 — BetMGM, Borgata, and WSOP connected first (WSOP pooling PA with Nevada, New Jersey, and Michigan), followed by BetRivers (PA, Michigan, West Virginia, and Delaware). PokerStars held its Pennsylvania pool back during its FanDuel rebrand and finally connected PA to New Jersey and Michigan in April 2026.

Shared liquidity is a major upgrade: bigger tournament guarantees, fuller cash-game tables, and steadier traffic than a ring-fenced state could sustain on its own. Every operator requires geolocation and identity verification — you must be physically inside Pennsylvania to play, and VPN use will get your account closed.

Tax reality: PA taxes online slots at 54% and poker and table games at 16%. Those high rates fund the state but also shape the promotions and game variety operators can offer — one reason the casino side dwarfs poker in revenue.

Where Pennsylvanians Actually Play Online

Pennsylvania has one of the deepest regulated online markets in the US, with around two dozen casino brands and five poker rooms licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Player funds are protected by state law and games are independently tested. The licensed operators below are the ones we recommend — there is no need to go offshore from PA.

We have affiliate agreements with all sites listed. Commission does not affect scores. Read our affiliate disclaimer →

BetOnline logo

BetOnline

Poker + Sports
7.9
/10
Safety
Payouts
Games
Offshore Casino Editor's Pick Crypto

Solid all-rounder — poker + sports + casino with the best card deposit rates

Ignition Casino logo

Ignition Casino

Poker + Casino
7.7
/10
Safety
Payouts
Games
Offshore Casino Crypto Anonymous Tables

Good — Best US poker site, solid casino, crypto-first

FanDuel Casino logo

FanDuel Casino

Regulated US casino app with near-zero wagering bonuses
7.6
/10
Safety
Payouts
Games

Polished app and strong brand, but thin video poker, no 24/7 support, and state-variable game counts hold it back from the top tier.

What to check before depositing from Pennsylvania
  • The operator is licensed by the PGCB — check the regulator's interactive-gaming operator list
  • Player funds are held in segregated accounts, protected even if the operator fails
  • Games are independently tested and certified for fairness
  • Standard deposits (bank transfer, debit card, PayPal) are supported — no crypto required
  • Self-exclusion and responsible-gambling tools are built in, as PA law requires

Casino Gaming in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is one of the largest casino markets in the country. In 2025 the state generated roughly $6.8 billion in combined gaming revenue — second only to Nevada — and online gaming has overtaken the land-based casinos that anchor the industry.

Unlike New York or California, Pennsylvania has no sovereign tribal casinos. The state has no federally recognized gaming tribes, so all 17 casinos are commercial properties licensed by the PGCB. (Two are tribally owned but operate under PA commercial law: Wind Creek Bethlehem, owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and Mohegan Pennsylvania, owned by the Mohegan Tribe.)

The biggest venues include Parx Casino (the state’s largest), Wind Creek Bethlehem, Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Mohegan Pennsylvania, Hollywood Casino at Penn National, and Live! Casino in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Each licensed online brand must partner with one of these land-based casinos.

$6.8B 2025 total PA gaming revenue — #2 in the US behind Nevada
17 Licensed land-based casinos statewide (all commercial)
54% Tax rate on online slots — among the highest anywhere
5 Licensed online poker rooms, now sharing multi-state pools

Player Protections in Pennsylvania

✓ Protected

Licensed online poker & casino

Full PGCB regulation. Player funds segregated from operating funds. Independent game testing, geolocation and age verification, and a formal complaint process. Voluntary Self-Exclusion available for 1 year, 5 years, or lifetime.

✓ Protected

Licensed sportsbooks

PGCB oversight of all mobile and retail sportsbooks. Operators must protect player balances and follow strict advertising and responsible-gaming rules. Disputes can be escalated to the regulator.

✗ Not protected

Offshore & sweepstakes sites

No PGCB protection. Sweepstakes casinos have been ordered out of PA, and offshore sites offer no fund segregation or legal recourse. If they refuse to pay, you have none of the protections the regulated market guarantees.

Pennsylvania is one of the safest states for online gambling. Every major form is regulated, player funds are protected by law, and the PGCB actively enforces against unlicensed operators. With around two dozen casino brands and five poker rooms licensed here, the regulated options beat anything offshore on safety, payments, and game quality.

Responsible Gambling Resources — Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania law requires every licensed operator to offer self-exclusion, deposit limits, and session controls. If gambling stops being fun — or if you are gambling to solve financial problems — free, confidential help is available 24/7.

PA Problem Gambling Helpline
Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). Free, confidential, 24/7 — run by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania.
1-800-GAMBLER · pacouncil.com →
PGCB Voluntary Self-Exclusion
Exclude yourself from PA online gaming and casinos for 1 year, 5 years, or lifetime. Info line 717-346-8300.
Enroll at pgcb.pa.gov →
Council on Compulsive Gambling of PA
NCPG affiliate offering free counseling referrals and support across Pennsylvania.
pacouncil.com →
NCPG — National Helpline
National Council on Problem Gambling. Text HOME to 53342 or call 1-800-522-4700.
ncpgambling.org →
Tools available at most offshore sites
Deposit limits Session time limits Self-exclusion (1yr/5yr/lifetime) Cooling-off period Reality check pop-ups