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Sweepstakes casinos are very similar to social casino games or apps you’ve played on your phone or computer—but with a major side benefit. You can actually play these games for real cash prizes. And you can do it in 49 states.

Sweeps casino games aren’t much different from real money online casino play and are available to players throughout the US and Canada. Spin the slot reels, hit the Blackjack tables, or play some video poker for free or for “sweeps coins” — coins you can cash out for real cash prizes later.

Even poker players can get in on it at Global Poker, a sweepstakes poker site with ring games and even major online poker tournament series. Check our list of the best sweeps casinos online and their no deposit casino offers right here:

Are Sweeps Cash Casinos Legal?

The simple answer is yes—online sweepstakes casinos are accessible in 49 states (only Washington is excluded) and operate under US sweepstakes law.

Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Funzpoints are the biggest brands in the sweeps cash casino space and operate entirely above board under US sweepstakes laws. These are the same laws that cover lots of popular sweepstakes games you likely already know, including McDonald’s Monopoly, Publisher’s Clearinghouse, Taco Bell’s Xbox giveaway and more.

Sweeps casinos are legal because there’s no purchase necessary. Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slotsoffer free sweeps coins on sign up and you can receive additional coins by sending a request via regular mail. This is essential to being able to operate under the law.

In a sweepstakes casino, you don’t play with real money you’ve deposited into an account. When you create an account, you’re given free virtual coins or chips called Gold Coins. These don’t have a real cash value. Any games with Gold Coins are not considered traditional gaming – whether at slots, blackjack, or in a poker tournament.

When you choose to buy more of this virtual currency, you’re then given what are called “Sweeps Coins,” (or Premium points), which can be used for games at specific, designated “SC” tables. These coins (and those you win at the Sweeps Coins tables) can then ultimately be swapped for cash prizes.

The chance to redeem some of that virtual currency for cash prizes is what draws many players back again and again to sweeps coin casinos. Sweepstakes casinos are also among the lowest minimum deposit casinos for opening a new account – either $4.99 or $5.

Sweeps Casino Games

Sweeps casino games are similar to traditional live or online casino play – whether you’re into table games or slot machines. You can use what are called “Gold Coins” on Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots or Global Poker. At Funzpoints Casino, you use “Standard” points to play various free slot games.

These are virtual currencies and absolutely free. Players can get or accumulate these free coins through:

• Initial gold coins awarded for creating a new account
• New Gold Coins awarded every day for logging into account
• Winnings from Gold Coins tables or games

Free-to-play gamers will find these games to use their Gold Coins at:

• Slot machines (Chumba, LuckyLand)
• Video poker (Chumba)
• Roulette (Chumba)
• Blackjack (Chumba)
• Poker Ring Games, SnGs, MTTs (Global Poker)
• Caribbean Poker (Global Poker)

The selection of sweeps casino games and sweepstakes slots open to you with Gold Coins is more limited than the full menu of games, which you can open up by buying more Gold Coins in packages that award free Sweeps Coins.

How to Get Free Sweeps Coins

If you want to fast track your accumulation of the free-to-play virtual currency, you can buy packages of Gold Coins at various prices (anywhere from $4.99 and up). As a bonus for doing so, you will then get Sweeps Coins (or Premium Funzpoints).

You earn Sweeps Coins or Premium Funzpoints simply for logging into your account daily. You can also send away by mail for free Sweeps Coins (required by sweepstakes law).

Sweeps Coins at Chumba, LuckyLand and Global are used for separate, exclusive SC games and events. Sweeps Coins slots and table games are extensive on Chumba and LuckyLand. At Global Poker you’ll find plenty of Sweeps Coins ring games, sit & go’s, tournaments, and major tournament series.

A similar setup can be found at Funzpoints Casino. The free-to-play virtual points are known as “Standard” points and these can be played in many free games. When buying more Standard points, you’ll also earn “Premium” points, which can be used in even more games. Premium Funzpoints can be used for exclusive game options and also redeemed for real cash prizes.

All the Sweeps Coins you earn in the games are yours to keep for further play or redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards.

To get free sweeps coins when you register a new account, be sure to use the no deposit bonus codes listed for each casino.

How Can you Cash Out at Sweepstakes Casinos?

All the sweeps casinos mentioned here offer the option to buy packages of virtual currency to receive either free Sweeps Coins or Premium Funzpoints. If you want to go this route, you’ll find an easy but secure process.

You’ll be asked to provide all the normal personal information like name, address, phone number, etc. With licensing and monitoring properly administered by the Malta Gaming Authority for all VGW properties, you can feel secure that your personal details will remain safe. Making a payment for coins and points is also secure and players can make use of:

• Credit/debit cards (Visa, MC etc)
• Bank transfer
• Skrill and other e-wallets

Players looking to redeem virtual currency for cash or gift cards will find an added layer of security. You’ll have to provide a valid, government ID (a passport or driver’s license, for example) and a proof of residence. The latter can be a utility bill, bank statement, or notarized lease agreement.

You’ll only have to go through this on your first withdrawal however. This insures an added layer of account protection. Cash outs from all the above sweeps casinos have been reported to be consistent and fast, averaging 5-10 days for the entire process.

Chumba Sweeps Casino

This popular sweepstakes casino mimics a traditional casino by offering both slots and table games. The site is extremely user friendly and makes it easy to cycle through all the game offerings. At the top of the game lobby, players can easily select:

• Slot games
• Jackpot games
• Table games

There are numerous slots and jackpot slots to choose from including:

• Golden Oz
• Dancing Gold
• The Great Slottini
• Wild Roads
• Outer Space Invaders
• Gustavo El Luchador
• The Sand Princess
• Bombshell Jackpots
• Super Hot 7s
• Celtic Goddess
• Stampede Fury

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Table games fans are also in luck. You’ll find a few of the games you might expect to find in a Las Vegas Strip casino including:

• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Jacks or Better Video Poker

Games start for as little at just 0.01 Sweeps Coin.

Chumba offers a more complete gaming experience than other sweepstakes casinos with some table games not found on other sites. That makes for a nice option and a bit more like an online casino.

Navigating around the browser-based system is easy and that includes visiting the banking and account areas. While there isn’t a mobile app, using the platform in a browser on a phone or tablet is still a nice experience. The games and lobby are resized to fit on your phone to keep the slot or table game action easy to follow and to flip between games.

While it may not be exactly like a real money online casino in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, Chumba has plenty of charm and entertainment value. Use the Chumba Casino promo code in our review or below to access your new player bonus:

LuckyLand Sweepstakes Slots

LuckyLand Slots, which is also owned by VGW Holdings, is browser-based as well (no app) and similar to other free-to-play slots casinos. You can play a wide range of online slots either for free with Gold Coins or for real cash prizes with Sweeps Coins.

The Sweeps Coin opportunity at cash prizes and gifts cards make it different from other free-to-play social casino apps. But the menu of sweepstakes slots at LuckyLand is still quite varied with unique and varied themes.

Luckyland only offers sweepstakes slots; no casino table games are found here.

Sweepstakes slots available include:

• School Days
• Schnitz-n-Giggles
• Ghoul Day
• Lucky Duck
• Dr. Amazing
• Revved Up Reels
• Dragon Key
• Mayan Gold
• Pirates Bounty
• Lucky Wheel Galactic Blast
• Buffalo Rush
• Mardi Gras Money

You’ll find the gameplay very comparable to a real online casino slot game, with lots of traditional reel slots and multi-payline slots. Use the LuckyLand Casino bonus code in our review or below to claim your new player bonus.

Funzpoints Sweepstakes Casino

Funzpoints Casino features a model similar to the other sweeps casinos mentioned here. Funzpoints makes use of two sweeps currencies as well:

• Standard Funzpoints
• Premium Funzpoints

The Standard variety are for free, play money games while the Premium Funzpoints are used for specific games and ultimately redeemable for cash prizes.

Funzpoints features a substantial menu of slot games, although Standard players will find a more limited selection. Those who sign up get $2.50 in Premium Funzpoints to get started and check out the more expanded game menu on that side.

Those who purchase additional Standard points will earn Premium points as a reward – double for the first deposit up to $20. The Premium points can be used and redeemed for cash.

An added promotion allows players to spin the Funzwheel every three hours for more Standard points or tickets to a daily drawing. Those who snag some tickets then have a shot at winning some Premium Funzpoints – up to $350 with other points awarded as well.

The site is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Players will find slots like they might expect to find in a traditional casino with numerous themes and styles. Some of the most popular sweeps slots include:

• Queen of the Mermaids
• Start Your Engine
• Criminal Cash
• Buckaroo Bronco
• The Big Dive
• Game of Crowns

Use the Funzpoints promo code below or in our review to access your bonus:

Sweepstakes Casinos with Video Poker

Chumba Casino offers players some Jacks or Better Video Poker. This is the most popular form of the game and is found in most casinos around the country.

It’s a fun and easy version of the game with nice sounds effects like at a real casino on the Vegas Strip. Whether playing for Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins, the game is quite fun and a really nice version of this traditional game.

For those new to video poker, this offers a great way to learn the game without losing any real money. Feeling lucky? You can then advance up to Sweeps Coin play.

What is Sweepstakes Poker?

Whether you’re a cash game player or enjoy jumping in big tournaments, sweepstakes poker offers plenty of fun in a social gaming environment. Unlike free play games and apps, this social gaming environment offers players a chance to battle it out at the tables with the possibility of redeeming virtual currency winnings for cash prizes and gift cards.

How does sweeps poker work, then?

Global Poker, likes sweeps casinos, starts you off with a virtual currency called Gold Coins. You can use these in GC ring games, tournaments, sit & go’s, and more. These are fun ways to work on your poker skills in a free-play environment without the possibility of losing any money – similar to the play-money tables at a traditional real money online poker site.

Players can accumulate Gold Coins through winning at the tables. You can also purchase additional Gold Coins at any time. Players who take this second option earn a bonus virtual currency called Sweeps Coins. These can then be used in completely separate “SC” tournaments, sit & go’s, and ring games.

Sweeps coins give you some extra incentive. They can be accumulated and redeemed for cash prizes and gift cards. It’s the next best thing to real money online poker for those who like to have a little skin in the game.

Sweepstakes poker players at Global Poker will also find major tournament series like the GOAT, Bounty Series, Rattlesnake, and others. These offer Sweeps Coin and Gold Coin players alike plenty of tournament options.

Another plus for Global is the ability to play anywhere. While the site doesn’t have a mobile app, it is browser-friendly and the platform functions well on iPhones, Android phones and tablets. Like Chumba and LuckyLand, Global Poker is owned by VGW Holdings, a publicly-traded Australian-based corporation regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority.

As far as safe and secure online poker sites available in non-legalized US states, sweepstakes poker is one of the best options for US poker players. Find our exclusive Global Poker bonus code in our review and below:

Global Poker Casino Games

The Global Poker platform also offers players some other options for those looking to get in some table games. The right side of the player lobby allows you to select some other traditional casino table games including:

• Classic Blackjack
• Premium Blackjack
• Caribbean Poker

These are traditional games you’d in a brick and mortar casino. Game play is surprisingly smooth for all of them and the action can move as quick or slow as you’d like. The premium version of the Blackjack game allows you to play for higher stakes and offers some better odds for the player, such as standing on soft 17.

Players looking to spin some reels will even find two sweepstakes slots options:

• Diamond Panther
• Lightning Nudge

Lightning Nudge is a traditional-style slot game with lucky 7 and bar symbols. Diamond Panther features jungle theme with panthers, frogs, toucans, moneys, and diamonds.

While Global Poker doesn’t offer the deep variety of games seen at full sweepstakes casinos, it does offer an opportunity for someone looking to dabble in casino games when not at the poker tables.

PA online casinos are up and running, and growing fast.

If you are 21 years or older and inside Pennsylvania state lines, you can now enjoy online slots, table games, and video poker from your desktop computer or mobile devices.

This page contains all the information you need to start playing at online casinos in PA.

Below is a guide to the games you can play for free and for realmoney at PA online casinos. After that, you’ll find information on apps, bonuses, safety, and geolocationtechnology.

Regulated casinos also include protection for problem gamblers, which we cover at the end of this page.

Best online casinos in Pennsylvania 2021

Real money and free online casino games in Pennsylvania

You can play most games at PA casinos online for fun. Playing games in demomode, or with play-money chips, allows you to find the titles you like before you gamble.

The only category of games that are notavailable for free play is live dealer table games. You can watch them, though you will not be able to wager on them – at least yet.

The current offerings on real money online casinos in PA are growing, and fast. Casino sites regularly add new games as they are approved by the PA Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

We offer an overview of how diverse these casino game categories are. Keep in mind that the most prominent New Jersey online casinos offer more than 600 titles.

Play PA online casino games for real money

The number of Pennsylvania online casinos is now in double-digits. All of the PA casino apps are available 24/7 and offer online slots, video poker, and table games such as roulette, blackjack, and baccarat. Use this table to compare the real money casinos in PA.

PA online slots

Slots are the biggest category of games for any online casino. You can expect to see over 200 games listed on some sites and you’ll need some way to sort the list of slot titles.

Firstly, casinos will feature their most popular games. You can use filters to search by, e.g., the number of reels, game developer, progressive jackpots, and so on.

If you enjoy live casino slots, then you will be able to play a lot of these online. You can search by name, or browse the listings for IGT, Bally, or another live slot studio.

Many online casinos feature classic games, e.g., Wheel of Fortune, Cleopatra, and WolfRun. You can also find traditional three-reel slots. Online slot studios like IGT created these.

When you browse the tiled graphics for slots to enjoy, you’ll see progressivejackpots listed underneath many of them. These pools can get massive, up to $1 million or more.

Table games at PA online casinos

Tablegames are a broad category, although it mostly covers all the casino games played on the greenfelt.

While most are card-based, dice and roulette wheels also fall under table games. Live dealer games are in this category; however, we will cover them separately.

This list is for the software-based versions:

• Blackjack: There are a lot of variations of basic blackjack rules. These include games with side bets, multi-hand games and entertaining variants like Blackjack Switch, Free Bet Blackjack, and Spanish 21.
• Roulette: You can bet your favorite numbers or try complex betting systems with online roulette. Where available, choose the European roulette wheel because the single zero reduces the house edge.
• Casino poker games: A lot of card-based table games use poker-hand rankings. Online casinos have Caribbean Stud, three-card poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Let It Ride, Pai Gow Poker, and Casino Hold ’em.
• Baccarat: Two of the three bets you can place in baccarat have a very low house edge. As long as you avoid the “tie” bet, this favorite among high rollers can be entertaining.
• Craps: With two betting phases and the chance to go on a hot streak as long as no 7s are rolled, craps is a lively live casino game. This appears at some online casinos, which gives you a chance to learn the complex bets.

Live dealer casinos in Pennsylvania

In other states, live dealer table games have become the go-to for many players and soon, they’ll be available in PA. With these, you’ll bet online although the action will be dealt in real-time from studios in PA live casinos. Bets will settle automatically.

Games available include blackjack (where you play on a seven-handed table), roulette, three-card poker, Casino Hold ’em, and baccarat.

Keep in mind, you need to act before the timer runs down in these games. Otherwise, your hand will be folded (or you’ll stand), depending on the game.

You can chat via text with the dealers and other players while you play. The added social element, plus the ability to watch the cards being dealt, make these increasingly popular games.

Video poker and novelty games

PA casinos allow you to play video poker games online. These include bonus poker and multi-hand variations, as well as traditional titles.

Pennsylvania online casino apps

There are pros and cons to online casino apps compared to mobile-friendly websites.

With apps, you often find only a limited number of game titles, along with account and cashier functionality. Compared to the hundreds of games you can play on your browser, this is a significant drawback.

On the positive side, having the graphics stored on your phone helps the games initialize faster. If you have ever had to wait for a bonus game to load on your mobile device after you hit it on a slot, you know how frustrating this can be.

Are the online casinos in Pennsylvania safe?

All online casinos in PA are licensed and under the jurisdiction of the PennsylvaniaGaming Control Board (PGCB).

Players are protected by know your customer (KYC) guidelines and responsible gaming laws. The games are tested for integrity and fairness. A complaint and dispute process is available if necessary.

When it comes to Pennsylvania online casinos, you really can’t get any safer.

The PGCB stated early in the licensing process that they have a deliberate, slow approach. This includes testing periods for new apps and websites. With the licenses for online casinos in Pennsylvania held by local live casinos and racetrack casinos, you’ll have trusted brand names behind each of the apps.

A major concern for players new to casino games is the fairness of the spins or deals. At regulated casinos, games are regularly audited and the expected return-to-player (RTP) percentages are published. While each game has a small edge in favor of the house, you can be sure that you are getting a fair shot at winning and it’s in line with the published figures.

Casino bonus offers in Pennsylvania

With a lot of real money online casinos opening in PA in quick succession, you can be sure they will be competing to attract new players.

This means 2021 is a perfect time to take advantage of their marketing budgets. Casino bonuses take four primary forms, and not every casino will offer them all. If not, the bonuses they do offer will need to be generous.

Here are the main types of casino bonuses:

• No-deposit welcome bonus: A popular way to attract new players is to offer free play for registering. This bonus is usually a small amount (between $10 and $25). You’ll need to wager it a number of times before you can withdraw it. These offers can start your casino bankroll, if you get lucky. If not, then you’ll have a chance to check out the real-money slot titles without any personal risk.
• Matched deposit bonuses: This is the most common form of a casino welcome bonus in PA. Your first deposit will be matched 100%, usually up to around $300, though sometimes much higher. You then get 30 to 60 days to meet the specified playthrough (wagering) requirements.
• Loyalty/comp point schemes: Some casinos will tie their online comp point schemes together with their live casino. Others have separate schemes, with complex tier systems unlocking progressively bigger bonuses. For high rollers, these loyalty schemes often have a VIP level, too.
• One-off promotions: How active a casino is with promos can make a big difference to your bankroll over time. These vary widely, and include double points deals, reload bonuses, promos linked to new games and free chips for sharing on social media.

While nothing is stopping you from taking up several casino bonuses, keep in mind that these are restricted to one per household for each casino. Many players have been tempted to sign up their entire family for a free-play offer only to find their accounts to be closed down quickly.

Licensed and legal PA casinos vs. offshore casinos

For many years, the only way to play online casino games in Pennsylvania was to risk your money at offshore casinos. While there were some limited legal options with sweepstakescasinos, the new legal PA internet casinos effectively remove the need to take this risk.

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Offshore casinos are usually based in the Caribbean or Central America and their legal status is uncertain. While their host nation licenses them, they are not recognized or licensed by any US authority and our banks are legally obliged to block payments to them.

A greater concern is the lack of oversight and controls. Many offshore casinos have disappeared over the years, and many players have faced significant issues getting their winnings paid. If you have a dispute with an offshore casino, there is no industry body or organization to help you.

With PA casinos under the watchfuleye of the PGCB, they are licensed to accept conventional payment methods and thoroughly tested. There is no longer any reason to risk playing at an offshore site.

Geolocation and PA casinos

You will be able to access the PA online casinos fromanywhere. However, playing games for real money and making deposits can only be made within PA state lines.

Pennsylvania casinos will not allow real-money play if there is any doubt about your location. In New Jersey, this led to a lot of “falsenegatives.” Players who were on mobile devices near state borders were sometimes flagged as being outside of the state.

Fortunately, those initial problems were ironed out and geolocation technology is more reliable.

If you are using a VPN or proxyserver, you might still experience issues. Mobile users on 4G and close to the state border who experience problems can download additionalgeolocationsoftware in some cases.

Wi-Fi data is difficult to fake, and if you are not using a VPN, desktop players are unlikely to experience geolocation issues.

PA casinos eligible to offer online gambling in Pennsylvania

In total, there are 12 licensed casinos that can legally offer online casino games, including slots and blackjack.

• Harrah’s Philadelphia
• Hollywood Casino
• Meadows Casino
• Mohegan Sun Pocono
• Mount Airy Casino Resort
• Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
• Parx Casino
• Presque Isle Downs
• Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
• Rivers Casino Philadelphia (formerly SugarHouse Casino)
• Wind Creek Casino Resort (formerly Sands Bethlehem)
• Valley Forge Resort Casino

In the first month of 2020, FanDuel Casino, BetAmerica, and BetRivers Casino launched just before the Super Bowl. The long-awaited Caesars Online Casino in partnership with Harrah’s Philadelphia followed in April.

Rivers Philadelphia (Formerly SugarHouse Casino) was the first brick-and-mortar casino to offer two different online casino skins under its casino license: PlaySugarHouse and BetRivers. The latter is integrated with the Rivers Pittsburgh online sportsbook that carries the same BetRivers name. Rivers Casino Pittsburgh did not obtain an online casino license.

On May 1, 2020, DraftKings Online Casino went live, becoming the second interactive gaming site under the Hollywood Casino license. Meadows, DraftKings’ land-based partner for online sports betting, does not hold an online casino license. But both Meadows and Hollywood are owned by Penn National Gaming, which has a market-access deal with DraftKings.

FanDuel and DraftKings originally launched online casinos that were integrated with their sportsbooks. Now, both have stand-alone online casino apps live in PA.

In late July 2020, Wind Creek Bethlehem dove into the online betting scene, launching the Wind Creek online casino through a partnership with Pala Interactive.

Live Pennsylvania casinos

There are currently 12 licensed gambling properties in the state of Pennsylvania, with another casino in the works in Philadelphia’s Stadium Park.

According to PGCB, this includes 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos and two smaller resort casinos. The former two are Category 1 and 2 casinos, while the latter falls into Category 3. These gaming establishments employ approximately 18,000 people and generate close to $1.4 billion in tax revenue annually.

Mini-casinos: The next phase of Pennsylvania casino development

As part of its gambling expansion law passed in October 2017, the state had the ability to issue up to tenCategory 4 licenses. These licenses allow for mini-casinos with 300-750 slots. A supplemental license costing $2.5 million allows these satellite casino properties to offer up to 30 table games as well.

The process for the issuance of mini-casino licensing involves a series of auctions. The preliminary auctions began in January 2018 and were limited only to the licensed Category 1 and 2 casinos. The first license went to Penn National, who spent $50.1 million to secure a location 50 miles south of its existing Hollywood Casino. During the first round of auctions, PGCB awarded five licenses.

The PGCB ran a second round of auctions on Sept. 3, 2019 but there were no bidders this time around. As a result, the five remaining licenses will go unclaimed. In all, $114 million in license fees were raised.

Pennsylvania problem gambling support

A system for self-exclusion for problemgamblers is available at live casinos in Pennsylvania.

This program involves filling out some forms, providing a photo ID, and voluntarily requesting one-year, five-year or lifetime exclusion.

A list of excluded people is distributed to all live casinos. Then it is the casinos’ responsibility is to prevent those people from entering gaming areas.

Removal from this list (for the shorter periods) does not happen automatically. After the period expires, individuals must request their removal personally.

Online gambling prevents new challenges when it comes to the management of problem gambling. For the majority to enjoy safe gambling online, support systems need to be in place for players who experience issues.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Commission manages this support program.

Here is what legal Pennsylvania online casinos must provide:

• A prominentlink to their responsible gambling information page.
• Tools for time-out, self-exclusion and betting limits.
• A list of questions to assess whether you or someone you know has a gambling problem.
• Links to support organizations and therapists.

Support programs in the state include:

Overview of Pennsylvania’s casino industry

The Pennsylvania casino industry is relatively young. Casinos only became legal in 2004. Yet, in the dozen or so years in existence, the industry quickly became a powerhouse. Now it is the second-largest commercial casino industry in the country judging by gross revenue, trailing only Nevada.

Thanks to steep tax rates, Pennsylvania casinos actually generate more tax revenue for the state than Nevada does. That number has gotten even bigger thanks to the gambling expansion law passed in the fall of 2017.

Here is a look at the history of the Pennsylvania casino industry, starting with the latest news and moving back towards the casino industry’s more humble beginnings:

The year began on a high, but that soon changed as the spread of COVID-19 led to the shuttering of all retail casinos and racetracks in PA by mid-March. That meant furloughs for casino employees and falling casino stock prices.

Online sportsbooks were also hit hard, with most sports sidelined for a lengthy period of time.

On a positive note, three more online casinos joined the market before the Super Bowl. The FanDuel online casino made quite a splash, surging to highest handle and revenue earner after its first full month in February.

The long-awaited Caesars sportsbook went live on March 10 in partnership with Harrah’s Philadelphia, bringing the state’s online sports betting apps to a total of nine. The Caesars online casino followed on April 23, making it nine internet casinos too. An online poker room under the WSOP.com name is expected to follow.

On May 1, DraftKings added an online casino product to its established online sportbook. Its online casino product is under the Hollywood Casino license, while the DraftKings sportsbook partners with Penn’s other PA property, The Meadows. Both FanDuel and DraftKings later debuted standalone online casino apps in June and July, respectively.

Wind Creek launched its first online product with an online casino in late July, and Live! Casino brought PlayLive! online casino to PA in mid-August. Live! was the only casino to launch iGaming ahead of retail openings, which are to follow in 2021.

Online wagering sparked and sportsbooks blossomed.

With sportsbooks, there were just three operations at the beginning of the year, and all were retail. By the end of the year, the Keystone State had 12 retail sportsbooks.

But eight online sportsbooks were also running by year’s end, with around 84% of all sports wagering done online. Taken together, sports betting took in more than a billion bucks in 2019.

Five online casino sites went live, the first ones launching in July, though a new Wire Act opinion likely slowed that market segment at the start.

And at long last, an online poker site finally launched. On Nov. 4, FOX Bet was joined by PokerStars Casino and PokerStars PA, making poker a reality in the Keystone State.

In October 2019, SugarHouse changed its name to Rivers Casino Philadelphia, but not before launching the first PA online sportsbook in May. PlaySugarHouse sportsbook and online casino still retain the SugarHouse name.

After a summer of bickering, the state legislature drafted a new version of the gambling expansion package, which both the House and Senate passed. Gov. Tom Wolf signed it into law on Monday, Oct. 30, 2018. The new law allows for a wide range of new gambling ventures, including:

• Online casinos
• Video gambling terminals (VGTs)
• Daily fantasy sports (DFS)
• Satellite casinos
• Sports betting

It also offered a new class of license eliminating the amenity fee in place at Valley Forge and Lady Luck Nemacolin. Valley Forge paid the fee immediately after the bill became law.

New licensing fees brought in more than $311 million for the state.

The PA Lottery launched several new games and created the online platform iLottery.

A US Supreme Court ruling allowed sports wagering to begin and nine of 12 properties immediately applied for licenses.

Total gambling revenue topped $3.4 billion.

Legislation which would legalize and regulate online gambling in Pennsylvania, and offer online gaming licenses to the state’s 12 casino properties first, was passed by the Senate. In June 2017 it was amended and passed by the House, sending it back to the Senate.

The law was approved at the end of October.

The law ushered in sportsbook wagering and video game terminals at truck stops, and a new category of “mini-casinos” was created. As part of the expansion, horse racing money from casino slot revenue was encumbered in a trust fund. The slot money was originally set aside as part of the deal which led to the 2004 approval of casinos.

Casinos set a revenue record of $3.227 billion.

Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin opened in July 2013.

Valley Forge Casino Resort opened its doors in March 2012 becoming the first Category 3 licensed casino in Pennsylvania.

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After several ownership changes and failed financing plans with no construction to date, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted to revoke the Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia gaming license in December 2010.

SugarHouse Casino opened its first phase in Philadelphia in September 2010.

Pennsylvania passed a law in January 2010, authorizing table game operations at the state’s licensed racino, casino, and resort casino properties. The law also clarified the size and scope of gaming and other operations at the state’s three different categories of gaming licensees, including:

• Allowing up to 250 table games and 5,000 slot machines at Category 1 racino facilities
• Allowing 250 table games and 5,000 slot machines at Category 2 stand-alone casinos. These properties were also authorized to operate amenities including restaurants, spas, and entertainment options, but not hotels.
• Allowing up to 600 slot machines and 50 table games at Category 3 resort casinos. These gaming facilities can include attached hotels.

Parx Casino standalone gaming facility opened its doors in December .

Rivers Casino opened in Pittsburgh, PA’s Chateau neighborhood along the Ohio River in September.

Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem opened on the Bethlehem Works development site in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in May 2009. Table games were added in July 2010. The property officially changed ownership to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in June 2019. The casino is now known as Wind Creek Bethlehem.

Hollywood Casino opened at Penn National racetrack in February 2008.

Mount Airy Casino Resort officially opened in the Poconos in November 2007, becoming the first Pennsylvania casino with lodging.

The Meadows Casino began as a temporary casino adjacent to the racetrack in Washington County, PA in June 2007. The permanent casino opened in 2009.

Presque Isle Downs casino and horse racing track near Erie, Pennsylvania opened in February 2007.

A slots parlor began operation at Harrah’s Philadelphia racetrack on the Chester waterfront. Table games went live at the property in 2010.

Parx Casino opened as a temporary gaming facility at the former Philadelphia Park racetrack in December 2006.

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Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is granted one of five stand-alone casino licenses for a soon-to-be-built property located along the Delaware River in South Philadelphia. The project fell apart, resulting in PGCB revoking the license in 2010.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs became the state’s first slot parlor after opening its doors in November 2006 at a harness track near Wilkes-Barre.

State lawmakers made a number of amendments to horse track security bill authorizing both the use of 61,000 slot machines at racetracks and other new casino locations across Pennsylvania. Lawmakers rushed the bill through the House and Senate over the Fourth of July weekend, then quickly became law before any real opposition to casino gambling had a chance to oppose it.

The bill ultimately authorized the issue of three separate categories of slot machine licenses. These included:

• Category 1 for existing racetracks.
• Category 2 for designated tourist areas, including two in Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh.
• Category 3 for resorts.

Former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell runs for Pennsylvania Governor. He wins on a campaign that includes support for the idea of allowing slot machines at racetracks in an effort to lower property taxes.

Under Then-Governor Tom Ridge the State Legislature came close to legalizing riverboat casinos. The state’s anti-gambling movement began to grow and Gov. Ridge said he would veto any gambling bill not approved by referendum. Eventually the entire idea was scrapped.

A statewide survey found 48 percent of Pennsylvania residents supported legalized riverboat gambling and just 38 percent were opposed. However, Then-Governor Robert P. Casey claimed to be opposed to gambling and threatened to veto any gambling legislation passed in the state.

First developed under Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode, and championed by mayoral successor Ed Rendell, a proposal to allow riverboat gambling in Philadelphia made it to the state legislature. The claim was it would create $25 million in new revenue for the city and 11,500 new jobs. However, the House of Representatives voted against it in November by a margin of 118-81.

Resorts Casino Hotel opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey, becoming the first legal casino in Atlantic City. Resorts and the rest of the Atlantic City Boardwalk is within 60 miles of Philadelphia. It quickly become evident that Pennsylvania residents are some of the budding Atlantic City casino industry’s best customers.