When most people from outside of the state think of Pennsylvania, what are the things that spring to mind? First is almost always the Amish, or Pennsylvania Dutch, an insular religious community that shuns all technology. Next is likely the Liberty Bell, the cracked but proud symbol of freedom that is displayed in Philadelphia. From there, people are likely to think of the state’s many great sports teams (the Philadelphia Eagles, Flyers and Phillies, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers, etc) or the great American sandwich, the Philly Cheesesteak. All in all, it’s a very tame image of the state.
The incredibly popular sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, now in its 17th season, has shown a very different side of the state. But even this slice of Pennsylvania life hasn’t touched much on the gambling industry in the state. It would be safe to assume that most people just don’t consider Pennsylvania at all when they think about gambling destinations – whether in-person or digital.
In reality, Pennsylvania has a long and colorful history with gambling, just like its neighbors, New York and New Jersey. New Jersey, with Atlantic City, might get all the credit as having the Las Vegas of the East Coast, but Pennsylvania shouldn’t be totally overlooked.
The state has a long history with gambling, though strict laws have previously clamped down on the industry for a while. In the 1950s, horse racing was legalized, and since then, the state has gradually been adding to its list of legal gambling activities. These include in-person and online.
This article will examine the current state of gambling in Pennsylvania to figure out if it’s catching up to other states in terms of gambling interest or if it has always been ahead of the curve. Then, we’ll take a look at some of the popular online casinos that are defining the industry and could be coming to Pennsylvania soon.
Current State Of Gambling Interest In Pennsylvania
How high is gambling interest in Pennsylvania? Pretty high, judging by the number of gambling institutions in the state. Since casinos were legalized in 2004, the state has opened new venues every few years. There are currently 17 casinos in the state. Some are mini-casinos, some are racinos inside racetracks, and others are huge resort casinos like those found in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
These casinos attract gamblers from across the state and around the country. Several of these casinos, including Harrah’s Philadelphia, Hollywood Casino, Mohegan Pennsylvania, and Mount Airy Casino Resort, all have online casino partnerships as well. This is a great way for them to boost revenue.
Besides the online casinos associated with major land-based casino brands, there are also independently operated online casinos. These range from the big names, such as MGM, and online casinos operated by sportsbooks like FanDuel, to smaller names that people outside the state might not be familiar with.
This list of online casinos available on AskGamblers gives an insight into how popular online gambling has become in the Keystone State. Since online casinos were legalized, the state has made a lot of progress in terms of normalizing the industry for players and creating strong but sensible legislation.
All in all, there are 12 online casinos licensed to operate in the state, and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) periodically reopens the application portal. This shows that there is a growing market in the state for online casino gambling, even with a dozen sites already in operation.
Besides casinos, online casinos, and sports betting, there are other legal forms of gambling in Pennsylvania. These include lotteries, bingo, raffles, pools, and prize drawings. All of this goes to show that there is a healthy appetite for gambling across the entire state.
Compared to Other US States
Looking at the facts and figures, it’s the rest of the United States that needs to catch up with Pennsylvania in terms of gambling interest. Take traditional, land-based casino gambling to start with. Pennsylvania only legalized land-based casino gambling in 2004 and now has the second-highest gambling revenue in the entire country.
Since online gambling was legalized in 2017, it has become an important source of revenue for the state. A recent report found that 20% of the population of Pennsylvania enjoyed online gambling, a higher number than in previous years. The same study showed that gambling revenue from 2023-24 was over $2 billion.
With those kinds of numbers, it’s safe to say that Pennsylvania is actually one of the top gambling states in the country, and it doesn’t actually have any catching up to do at all.
Below are some of the leading online casinos that are likely to be licensed for Pennsylvanian players in the not-too-distant future if the current growth in interest in online gambling is sustained:
Karamba Casino
Karamba Casino is a slots-focused online casino with a big audience in Europe. The site was launched in 2005, so the brand has two decades of experience in giving players a great online casino experience. It is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). These are two trusted licensing bodies that should reassure the PGCB.
LottoGo Casino
LottoGo Casino was launched in 2015. It is a big site that features slots, table games, and live dealer games. It has something for everyone, which should make it easy for the site to become popular in the United States, especially in Pennsylvania. They work with reputable and trusted software providers and payment processors.
Duelz Casino
Duelz has managed to gamify online gambling, which is an impressive and unique selling point for the site. It combines this feature with an extensive game library. The site holds licenses from the MGA, the UKGC, the Swedish Gambling Authority, and the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. This is a good sign for American regulators who seek to approve online casinos that have good track records.