Online sports betting and casino gambling in Pennsylvania is officially here!
There was some serious skepticism that casinos would pony up the $10 million upfront licensing fee. The state proved the skeptics wrong though. Lady Luck Nemacolin is the only casino who hasn’t filed a sports betting application. Number of online poker, casino, and sportsbooks live in Pennsylvania. At the start of 2019, this number was. To request your 2019 Win/Loss Activity Statement. Presque Isle Downs & Casino is located just south of I-90 Exit 27 in Erie, PA 8199 Perry Highway Erie, PA 16509 Get Directions. Responsible Gaming Statement: Guests must be 21 or older to enter Presque Isle Downs & Casino.
On May 28, SugarHouse’s PA online sportsbook began testing its app in the state, becoming the first app in PA to do so.
And as promised, on July 15, two online casinos began testing: Hollywood and Parx. SugarHouse PA online casino started testing on Wednesday, July 17.
So as of today, there are four online casinos in operation, six online sportsbooks, and 12 retail books. PokerStars launched its app on Nov. 4 and got final approval after testing. The site includes a robust online casino and a shared wallet with Fox Bet PA.
Here is a handy guide for those NJ online casino aficionados who are curious about how the Keystone State does online gambling.
To find out more information, you can also visit our sister site, PlayPennsylvania.com.
PA online sports betting
PA online sportsbooks got off and running in late May 2019. SugarHouse PA sportsbook was the first to launch its site in the state. Parx and BetRivers (SugarHouse’s PA sister site) joined the fun a month later. FanDuel launching in July 2019; Fox Bet joined the group in September.
Sports betting in Pennsylvania became legal in 2017 when the larger online gambling legislation was signed into law. However, as with NJ sports betting, any action was dependent on the US Supreme Court’s ruling.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) mandated a $10 million license fee and a 36 percent tax rate on sports betting, positions that far exceed the requirements in most other states, including NJ.
Due to the onerous licensing fee and taxation rate for offering sports betting, the casinos were far more hesitant to throw their hats in the ring.
That being said, plenty of casinos eventually signed up. But SugarHouse and Rush Street Interactive beat them all to the finish line by launching first.
Online sportsbook launch timeline
Casino | Online Sportsbook Launch | Retail Sportsbook Launch |
---|---|---|
Hollywood Casino at Penn National | Fall 2019 | Nov. 17, 2018 |
Parx Casino Sportsbook | June 27, 2019 | Jan. 10, 2019 |
Rivers Casino (BetRivers) | June 27, 2019 | Dec. 15, 2018 |
SugarHouse Casino (SugarHouse Sportsbook) | May 31, 2019 | Dec. 15, 2018 |
Harrah's Philadelphia | 2019 | Jan. 22, 2019 |
Valley Forge Casino (FanDuel) | July 22, 2019 | March 13, 2019 |
The Oaks | None | March 12, 2019 |
South Philadelphia Turf Club | None | Jan. 17, 2019 |
Presque Isle Downs | Fall 2019 | July 24, 2019 |
Mohegan Sun Pocono (Unibet) | November 2019 | Sept. 24, 2019 |
Mount Airy Casino (Fox Bet) | Sept. 4, 2019 | Sept. 12, 2019 |
Meadows Racetrack and Casino (DraftKings) | Nov. 4, 2019 | October 2019 |
PA casinos and sportsbooks
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The PGCB expressed its intent to focus on the launch of retail sportsbooks before giving online sports betting the green light. That being said, Fox Bet launched in Pennsylvania before Mount Airy opened its retail space.
The 12 sportsbooks currently operating in Pennsylvania are:
- Hollywood Casino
- SugarHouse Casino
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
- Parx Casino
- South Philadelphia Turf Club
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge Casino
- Valley Forge Turf Club
- Presque Isle Downs BetAmerica
- Mount Airy
- Mohegan Sun Pocono
- Meadows Racetrack and Casino
Philadelphia sportsbooks
Four properties in the Philadelphia area opened sportsbooks in time for the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl betting in early 2019. In the following weeks, more sportsbooks joined the fray.
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If you’re planning on visiting one of these facilities, please see below for their posted hours of operation. All listed times are Eastern Standard Time.
SugarHouse Casino
SugarHouse Casino opened its PA sportsbook for testing on Dec. 13, 2018, and launched full operations on Dec. 15. A permanent sportsbook is in the works.
Currently, the casino offers NJ online gambling options including SugarHouse online sportsbook and now it has its own PA site, PlaySugarHouse Pennsylvania.
However, the casino in Philadelphia won’t long hold that name as Rush Street plans to rebrand the property to Rivers Philadelphia.
The sportsbook at SugarHouse Casino has the following hours of operation:
- Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m. to midnight
- Friday: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 2 a.m
- Sunday: 9 a.m. to midnight
Parx Casino
Parx Casino in Bensalem, just outside Philadelphia, opened its sportsbook officially on Jan. 8, 2019. The temporary sportsbook includes 45 self-service kiosks, 20 HD television screens, seven betting windows, and a full-service bar. A larger, more expensive sportsbook is coming soon and will be 10,000 square feet.
And at the end of June, Parx launched its new online sportsbook.
The Parx sportsbook has the following hours of operation:
- Monday: 1 p.m.-12 a.m.
- Tuesday-Friday: 1 p.m.-1 a.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 a.m.
- Sunday: 9 a.m.-12 a.m.
Harrah’s Philadelphia
Harrah’s Philadelphia is owned by Caesars Entertainment, which also owns three Atlantic City casinos. While the two other Philadelphia casinos have sportsbooks open, Harrah’s Philadelphia sat on the sidelines for a bit. It began testing Jan. 22 and opened for business Jan. 24.
The temporary book is set up in a renovated racebook for now while a permanent book is under construction. Harrah’s hopes to launch its online sportsbook in August.
You can visit Harrah’s Philadelphia sportsbook at the following times:
- Monday-Friday: 11 a.m.-12 a.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m.-12 a.m.
South Philadelphia Turf Club
South Philadelphia Turf Club is ideally located in the parking lots for Lincoln Financial Field, home to the Philadelphia Eagles, and Citizens Bank Park, home to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Additionally, the Turf Club is a mile away from Wells Fargo Center, home to both the Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia 76ers.
The South Philadelphia Turf Club is open:
- Monday-Friday: Noon – 11 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. – Midnight
- Sunday: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Pittsburgh sportsbooks
Rivers Casino is the only Pittsburgh casino with an open sportsbook.
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
The 3,000 square-foot Rivers’ temporary sportsbook is located on the south gaming floor with seating for nearly 100 people and a luxury sports lounge. Rivers is scheduled to open its permanent sportsbook in the spring of 2019 and will be in the center of the casino on the main gaming floor.
The BetRivers sportsbook app launched in June 2019 and functions as a sister site to PlaySugarHouse PA.
Hours of operation are:
- Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – midnight
- Friday: 10 a.m. – 2 a.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2 a.m.
- Sunday: 9 a.m. – midnight
Eastern PA sportsbooks
Valley Forge Casino
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On March 13, the FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge officially opened for business after a two-day testing period. Boyd Gaming owns Valley Forge and has partnered with FanDuel to provide sports betting for the casino.
This also brings FanDuel’s online sportsbook to Pennsylvania. As of July 29, sports bettors in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania can bet using FanDuel’s iOS and Android app, and via its website.
FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge operating hours are:
- Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m. – 1 a.m.
- Friday: 10 a.m. – 2 a.m.
- Saturday: 7 a.m. – 2 a.m.
- Sunday: 8 a.m. – 1 a.m.
The Oaks (Valley Forge Turf Club)
On March 12, Valley Forge Turf Club opened its sportsbook. Admission and parking are free.
The Valley Forge Race & Sportsbook’s official hours of operation are:
- Sundays-Tuesdays: noon – 10 p.m.
- Wednesdays & Thursdays: noon – 11 p.m.
- Fridays & Saturdays: noon-midnight
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
The Sportsbook is located near Skybox Sports Bar, just off the casino floor with conveniences such as individual viewing stations and a 50-foot video wall. The permanent sportsbook will be opening later this year.
- Monday – Friday: 11 a.m. – midnight
- Saturday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – midnight
Presque Isle Downs BetAmerica Sportsbook
With partner Churchill Downs, Presque Isle opened its BetAmerica retail sportsbook for testing on July 24, but a full rollout is planned for Aug. 8. As such, its sportsbook app will get a later start compared to its competition. For now, the retail book features 50 self-betting kiosks.
Visit or call Presque Isle Downs to learn the sportsbook hours prior to the official launch.
Mount Airy Casino Resort Sportsbook
Mount Airy casino opened its sportsbook quietly during the busy 2019 NFL opening weeks. It went live a few days after Fox Bet (its online partner) opened its virtual doors.
Mount Airy’s sportsbook has no limited hours of operation. On Sunday, the sportsbook is open from 10 a.m. to midnight.
Mohegan Sun Pocono
On Sept. 24, Mohegan Sun began testing its retail sportsbook as per PGCB rules. Mohegan’s partner, Unibet aka Kindred, will likely launch its online sportsbook in the coming months. The Unibet sportsbook at Mohegan became the 11th retail sportsbook in Pennsylvania.
The sportsbook is open all week, from 11 a.m. to midnight.
Meadows Racetrack and Casino
In early October 2019, the Meadows opened its retail sportsbook. The facility is operated in-house by Penn Interactive. Its online partner, DraftKings, is set to go live in early November as well.
The retail sportsbook is open on Sundays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to midnight. Hours are subject to change.
PA online casinos
For the purposes of this guide, online casino gambling pertains only to slot play and table games. Due to the fact that some PA casinos elected not to apply for online poker, we will consider it separately from this section.
Online casino launch timeline
On April 17, the PGCB set the official PA online casino launch timeline for July 15. How much does a real poker chip weigh. Hollywood and Parx casinos were the first to enter the fray and start testing. SugarHouse PA went live with a small selection of games on July 17.
Casino | Online Partner(s) | Launch Date |
---|---|---|
Parx Casino | GAN | July 15, 2019 |
Hollywood Casino | IGT | July 15, 2019 |
SugarHouse Philadelphia | Rush Street/Kambi | July 17, 2019 |
Mohegan Sun Pocono | Kindred | 2019 |
Harrah's | 888 | 2019 |
Valley Forge | IGT/GAN | 2019 |
Presque Isle Downs | Golden Nugget | 2019 |
Mount Airy | PokerStars | Nov. 4, 2019 |
Wind Creek | N/A | Unknown |
Stadium Park Philly Live! Casino | GAN | Unknown |
MGM Resorts | bwin.party | Unknown |
Golden Nugget AC | NYX | Unknown |
The casinos listed below have already applied and received their conditional approval to offer slot play and table games online:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Mount Airy Casino
- Parx Casino
- Wind Creek Resort and Casino (aka Sands Bethlehem)
- SugarHouse
- Valley Forge Casino
- Stadium Casino
- Presque Isle Downs and Casino
- Mohegan Sun Pocono
The remaining casinos in Pennsylvania never applied for online gaming or withdrew their applications. There will not be online slots or table games branded for the following locations:
- Lady Luck Nemacolin
- Rivers Casino
- Meadows Casino
In all three cases, the ownership of these casinos already has other casino properties in-state. Filing for an application (and paying the $4 million per license fee) is redundant since these properties can merely advertise the online space of their sister properties.
Additional PA online casino licenses
As part of a 2017 gaming law expansion, Pennsylvania granted these 13 properties the ability to apply for online slots, table games, and poker licenses. Altogether, PA casinos applied for and received 27 of the 39 available licenses. The remaining available licenses are as follows:
- Six online poker
- Three online slots
- Three online table games
In order to fill the surplus license spots, the PGCB has allowed gaming interests without an existing casino in the state to apply for any or all of these remaining licenses.
So, it’s possible that there will be online casinos in Pennsylvania without a physical counterpart. Instead, they might be operated by qualified gaming entities (QGEs).
As such, two other casino companies submitted applications and received approval in January 2019. The names should look familiar here in the Garden State:
- MGM Resorts
- Golden Nugget
PA online poker
The list of sites with plans to offer online poker in Pennsylvania is much the same as the list for online casino gambling, but a little smaller. There are only seven applicants, compared to 10. While casinos will go online starting July 15, poker kicked off on Nov. 4 with PokerStars official launch.
There will be plenty of options for online poker play. The following casinos have applied and been approved for online poker in the state:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Mount Airy Casino
- Parx Casino
- Wind Creek Resort
- SugarHouse
- Valley Forge Casino
MGM Resorts is seeking to offer online poker, too. The PGCB approved its application in January 2019.
PA gambling and casinos
Pennsylvania is home to 12 gaming operations. Some are standalone properties; others are combination casino and racetrack, or “racinos.” All are under the purview of the PGCB, which functions similarly to the Division of Gaming Enforcement in New Jersey.
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Mount Airy Casino
- Parx Casino
- Wind Creek Resort
- SugarHouse
- Valley Forge Casino
- Presque Isle Downs and Casino
- Lady Luck Nemacolin
- Rivers Casino
- Meadows Casino
- Mohegan Sun Pocono
A 13th casino, Stadium Casino, is under construction in south Philadelphia and will open in 2020.