Pennsylvania Casinos – Best Casino in Pennsylvania

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Updated on: August 12th, 2024

All casinos in Pennsylvania are commercial casinos. There is a total of 12 casinos in PA, six of which are racinos. The Coal State is one of the leading states in terms of high gambling revenues. Since the state expanded the scope of gambling in 2017 adding VLTs (electronic gaming devices) at no casino locations the gambling industry boomed exponentially.

Pennsylvania is one of the four American states with casinos that fully allows online gambling. Hence, we have listed the best casino sites that accept US players in Pennsylvania below:

Best Online Casinos for US Players

100% Bonus Up to $7,000
4.3
Empty
Up to $5,000 of welcome bonus
4.3
None
Up to $7,000 in Bonuses
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None
Up to $8,000 of welcome bonus
4.3
None
Up to $7,000 in Bonuses
4.3
Empty
350% Bonus up to $3,000
4.5

Gambling in Pennsylvania

Within a year of casinos being sanctioned by law revenue of over a billion dollars was created by just seven casinos. This cemented the casino gambling cause. The reason why gambling venues were eventually legalized in the state is that the case made to defend them was job creation.

Pro gambling lobbyists projected thousands of jobs would be created from horse racing betting at race tracks. They also reiterated that any taxes made from the creation of gambling venues would only better the state.

In that first year, the immense revenue created only served to push the cause for casino gambling venues. This likely steamrolled the legalization of online gambling in the USA.

Pennsylvania Casinos and Gambling Laws

Pennsylvania Casinos – What Gambling is allowed in Pennsylvania

The Keystone State allows Commercial casinos, Electronic video lottery and pull tabs, online gambling, single game sports betting and state lottery games. Although sports betting and online gambling is legal in the state it is not active. That is, there are no online operations from the state of Pennsylvania itself.

  • Horse Racing Betting at authorised racinos
  • Casino Gambling and the state allows the following forms of casinos
    • Racinos
    • Stand-alone casinos
    • Resort casinos
    • Satellite casinos
  • Lottery- the state lottery
    • Incudes i-Lottery
  • Charitable gambling
  • Sports Betting
  • Online Gambling- In Pennsylvania internet gambling is legal

Casinos in Pennsylvania With Hotels

Pennsylvania is home to some of the best casinos. Below is a list of Pennsylvania casino resorts

  • Harrah’s Philadelphia
  • Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
  • Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin
  • Live! Hotel and Casino Philadelphia
  • The Meadows Racetrack and Casino
  • Mohegan Sun Pocono
  • Mount Airy Casino Resort
  • Parx Casino and Racing
  • Presque Isle Downs & Casino
  • Rivers Casino
  • SugarHouse Casino
  • Valley Forge Casino Resort
  • Wind Creek Bethlehem

List of Horse Race Betting On track and Off-track Betting Sites

Pennsylvania residents can bet at the following tracks

  • Harrah’s Philadelphia
  • Penn National Race Course
  • Meadows Racetrack and Casino
  • Mohegan Sun Pocono
  • Parx Casino
  • Presque Isle Downs

There are additional off-track betting sites 

  • The Downs at East Stroudsburg
  • The Downs at Lehigh Valley
  • South Philadelphia Race & Sportsbook
  • Oaks Race & Sportsbook
  • Penn National OTW Lancaster
  • Penn National OTW York
  • The Meadows Harmar

 

Pennsylvania Gambling Laws Timeline

  • 1971 state lottery established
  • The 1980s to 1990s bill after bill to legalize other forms of gambling fails as states citizens reject
  • 1993-94 – push for riverboat casinos hampered by then-governor who required a referendum before he could lend support to a bill legalizing gambling
  • 1999- the state house approves a bill but to activate it a referendum had to be voted on by Pennsylvania residents. The proposal was never scheduled for a vote, and the bill failed to materialize
  • 2004 – Act 71 is passed finally allowing casinos and racetrack betting in the state

 

Pennsylvania Gambling FAQs

Are PA casinos closing again?

After initially closing in March 2020 and reopening from June, Pennsylvania Casinos closed again in December 2020 for 3 weeks and reopened on the 4th of January.

How many casinos are in Pennsylvania?

There are 12 casinos in Pennsylvania, 6 which are racinos.

Are casinos open in Pennsylvania yet?

Casinos have been open since January 4 2021 after being mandated to close for 3 weeks in December 2020.

When did Mohegan Sun Pocono Open?

Mohegan Sun Pocono first opened its doors to the public in1965. After the first Covid-19 shutdown in March 2020, the casino opened on June 22 then after the December 2020 mandatory shutdown the casino re-opened on January 4.

Can you gamble online in PA?

Yes, you can gamble online in PA. Online gambling and sports betting is legal in PA.

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