Online Casinos That Pay
Highest Paying Online Casinos. Naturally, the highest paying casinos online have a better average payout rate than most land-based casinos. At a land-based casino, the payout rate could be anywhere between 70.00% and 80.00%. But at the highest payout online casinos, you will find that that the average RTP payout rate is between 93.00% to 98.00%. How do slots differ from other online casino games? In general, slots can have the broadest range of returns in the casino. The game percentage rate can range from as low as 85 to the upper 90s. Casinos usually display the RTP for any game somewhere within the pay table, so you can quickly get an idea if a game is generally a good payer or not.
Do you want to wait weeks or even months for an online casino to send you your winnings? Dumb question. No one wants that.
Jan 28, 2021 To do this, you must play at the best online casinos that payout in the USA. There are several online gambling sites you can choose from, with each offering a different and convenient method for withdrawals. Top-rated casinos will offer short time frames for you to receive your cash and little to no fees for withdrawals. Online Casinos are available for both International Players and USA Players, but choosing the right one can be a challenge for many online players. We have compiled a list of reputable casinos which have been extensively reviewed by us based off 20 years of experience. PayPal is an extremely secure payment method that is accepted by some of the biggest online casinos. PayPal is only accepted for casino deposits in a few countries such as the UK.
But if you join the wrong real money casino, that’s what you’re signing up for. So, if you want the fastest payouts possible, you should join one of the fast paying US online casinos we recommend.
Rank | DE Gambling Site | Exclusive Bonus | Get Started | |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Las Atlantis | 280% Up To$14,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#2 | BetUS Casino | 150% Up To$3,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#3 | Super Slots | 300% Up To$6,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#4 | Wild Casino | 250% Up To$5,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#5 | Vegas Casino Online | 100% Up To$11,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
Some people think that if you want your casino winnings quickly, you’re impatient. We disagree. There’s nothing wrong with wanting your money ASAP. Here’s why.
For one thing, the faster your winnings hit your back account, the sooner you know it’s safe. Your money isn’t in limbo somewhere outside your control.
It’s also not still in your real money casino account. The longer it sits there, because the casino hasn’t processed your withdrawal request yet, the higher the odds of you giving in, canceling your request, and loading up another slot or game to play.
And maybe you already have plans for your winnings. Maybe you want to take a trip. Or use it to take some blackjack lessons. Or invest in some stocks.
Who knows? Who cares? Either way, it’s your money. You can do what you want with it, but only after the money is in your hands. This guide will show you how to accomplish that as fast as possible. It starts with a look at what are currently the best fast payout online casinos for the USA.
One misconception American gamblers have is that fast payouts come down to the banking method you use.
Sure, the banking method is important, but we’d argue that it’s not as important as the casino you join. That’s because they control how fast they process cashout requests, withdrawal limits, and more.
The point is this, if you’re a US casino gambler who wants fast cashouts, your first step is to join a fast paying, high-quality casino.
Here are the best fast payout US online casinos for 2021.
BetOnline Casino – Best Deposit Options for Americans
Many US online casinos have stopped traditional banking options in lieu of Bitcoin. It makes sense. Bitcoin is much easier for Americans and online casinos to use.
But not BetOnline. They encourage you to use Bitcoin and credit cards, but they still accept other options such as QB Direct, MoneyGram, wire transfers, cashier checks, money orders, and more.
Our focus here is on the fastest paying US real money casinos. Casinos should send you your winnings ASAP. But don’t forget that before you ever get to that point, you have to make a deposit first.
That’s why we recommend BetOnline for gamblers in the United States who want a variety of deposit options. It doesn’t hurt that they have a solid casino with plenty of slots, table games, and live dealer games either.
Bovada Casino – Best for No Limit Bitcoin Withdrawals
Bovada is often touted as THE best real money gambling site for the US. It’s not hard to see why.
For starters, they work with top-notch US software providers like RealTime Gaming (RTG), Rival, and Visionary iGaming (ViG). The result is hundreds of slot and video poker machines, table and live dealer games, and more.
One of the things we like most about them is that they’re one of the few online casinos that allow you to play their games for free, without creating an account.
They do a great job in the withdrawal department too, especially for Bitcoin users. You can withdraw as much as you want per transaction and request a payout every three days.
And, once approved, you’ll get your money in approximately 15 minutes.
How’s that for a fast cashout?
El Royale Casino – Best for Fee-Free Fast Payouts
Another real money online casino we highly recommend is El Royale. Their primary offering includes games from RealTime Gaming. This means you can play all of RTG’s most popular slots.
- Cleopatra’s Gold
- Cash Bandits
- Eternal Love
- Goblin’s Treasure
- Hillbillies
- Megasaur
El Royale Casino has an awesome video poker and table game selection, too. It doesn’t matter what game you want to play. There’s a good chance you’ll find it here.
What stands out to us is that this fast paying US online casino doesn’t charge you any fees to cash out your money. After all, what good does it do you to get your withdrawals fast if you have to give up a kidney for it?
High Country Casino – Best for Casino Promotions
Another casino you shouldn’t ignore if you want great games and fast payouts is High Country Casino. They offer more than 100 quality casino games from RealTime Gaming.
What stands out to us are High Country’s promotions. They have several you can claim.
For example, on our last visit High Country was offering a 500% match bonus with 50% cash back. They also had a 100% bonus for blackjack players. And a 200% bonus and $25 chip for slots players.
That’s not all. High Country also offers a unique promotion you can claim every day of the week. It’s just a bonus that they’re also one of the fastest paying online casinos accepting USA customers.
Wild Casino – Best for Cryptocurrency Banking
Cryptocurrency is the best banking option for fast casino payouts in the United States for reasons we’ll explain in the next section. And if you plan to use crypto to gamble online, you can’t go wrong with joining Wild Casino.
Wild Casino stands out because they accept so many cryptocurrencies.
You can use each option for both deposits and withdrawals. Their limits are reasonable too, at around $20 to $3,000, and cashouts will take only a couple of days to hit your account.
Vegas Casino Online – Best for High Volume Players
Most USA online casinos have low weekly and monthly cashout limits. It’s not clear why, though we’d guess it’s to reduce their risks from dealing with scammers and third-party processors.
One of the things we like most about Vegas Casino Online is that they offer relatively high cashout limits for their high-status VIP members.
For example, their standard payout is $2,000 per week. But their Platinum and Diamond members can cash out as much as $5,000 per week.
How do you become a Platinum or Diamond member? You have to play a lot and/or spend a lot of money.
This is a great way to go, even if the casino isn’t the fastest at withdrawals or you’re not using the quickest withdrawal method. You’re counteracting both those downsides with the ability to withdraw more money at one time, a tip you don’t hear many other “fast payout US online casino” pages talk about.
US online gamblers can use a variety of banking methods to cash out their winnings.
But if speed is your concern, if you want your winnings in your account as fast as possible, then we recommend you use the following methods.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is hands-down the best banking option to use for gambling online in the United States. There are several reasons why.
- Anonymity
- No one will know who is sending the funds or where from. Your gambling activities are private.
- Decentralized
- No one owns Bitcoin or oversees it. This means, for now, that there aren’t many rules as to how you use it.
- Limits
- Most online casinos Bitcoin limits are larger compared to using regular money. Some even offer no-limit cashouts.
- Speed
- Once the casino processes your request and sends your payment, it’ll hit your wallet in less than 15 minutes. We know of no other banking option for US gamblers that moves that fast.
- Fees
- You’ll hardly ever have to pay fees for using Bitcoin to gamble online.
You see what we mean? Bitcoin is the best and fastest banking method for US gamblers.
If you already have invested in Bitcoin, then all you need to do is find a casino to join. However, if you’re new to Bitcoin, we recommend you read our guide to see if it’s right for you.
The next fastest cashout method for the USA is other cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is the best choice because it’s accepted by more online casinos.
That said, many US online casinos accept other cryptocurrencies such as Litecoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, and more.
Bank Wire
Bank wires take five to seven business days, so they’re not the fastest banking method. But here’s why you should consider using them to cashout your winnings.
Wires are a great option because you can withdraw larger sums of money in one transaction. Many online casinos allow you to cash out sums in the five-figure range compared to four-figure sums for other banking methods.
Again, no one talks about this, but moving more money per transaction is a fast payout, even if takes a little longer to complete. All we care about is moving the most money in the fastest timeframe.
That’s all you should care about, too.
Another speedy option is a money transfer. Here’s how the process will go.
- You let the casino know you want to send or receive a money transfer.
- They give you a reference number.
- You go to your local MoneyGram or Western Union branch to either make or pick up your payment.
Sure, money transfers aren’t a convenient option, but they only take a couple of days to complete. This is much faster than banking methods like wire transfers and checks, especially if you’re moving smaller sums of money.
Tips for Getting Fast Payouts at US Online Casinos
Getting your winnings fast starts with choosing the best fast payout US online casinos and the fastest banking methods. But that’s not all you can do to speed up your withdrawals.
Here are a few more tips you can use to increase your chances of getting your winnings as fast as humanly possible.
You can spend weeks reviewing every real money online casino yourself and scouring every casino forum to gauge how quickly US gamblers are getting paid.
Online Casinos That Pay Immediately
Or you can piggyback off our efforts and join a casino we endorse. And you can do that in a matter of minutes, not days, weeks, or months.
If you’re not sure where to start, read our online casino reviews. They cover everything you want to know about their banking options, including their limits, fees, and how quickly the process payments.
Participate in VIP Programs
If you want fast payouts, then we suggest joining your online casino’s VIP program.
For one thing, members receive all sorts of benefits such as exclusive deposit bonuses, higher game limits, gifts, and more.
Many online casinos also offer to increase your withdrawal limits. And, as we said earlier, withdrawing larger sums is another way to receive fast payouts.
For example, say a casino lets you cash out $2,000 two times per week, but another lets you cash out $5,000 once per week. Which is the fastest payout?
Another perk you can unlock is the option to expedite your withdrawals. This is usually offered to high-volume players.
This doesn’t speed up how long it takes for a payment to hit your account, but it does speed up how quickly the casino processes your payment. Your payment will go out the door faster than it usually would otherwise.
Every online casino asks that you verify your identity before they’ll cash you out. This is to prevent fraud, as well as to ensure it’s legal for you to use their casino.
This process varies from casino to casino, but most ask for a recent utility bill, a copy of your ID, and other information they can use to verify your identity.
You can wait until you’re ready to cash out to get this done, but this will increase how long it takes for them to cash you out, usually by at least a week.
And sure, this delay is only on your first cash out. But you can avoid this mess altogether if you send in your paperwork immediately after you create your account.
Update Your Payment Details
Another way to speed up your payments is to ensure all your payment details are up to date. This includes your address, phone number, routing number, and more.
Outdated information causes delays. Your bank wire might not go through. The casino might have questions that will take a couple of days going back and forth to answer.
So, go into your account every couple of months (or before you put in a withdrawal request) to ensure your details are updated.
You should follow the casino’s terms and conditions no matter what to avoid potential problems. If you don’t like them, either join a different casino or simply don’t gamble online.
If you fail to follow the casino’s terms and conditions, they can refuse to pay you altogether (depending on the circumstance). Or they might investigate your account, which can take days or weeks to complete.
Either way, failing to follow a casino’s terms will delay you from getting your winnings quickly.
Join a Casino With Reasonable Hours and Processing Times
Every casino has different business hours and processing timeframes. We’ve seen some casinos say they never process payments on the weekends, or that they only process payments a couple of days per week.
Then, there are online casinos that say it can take up to a couple of weeks to process your request. And that’s before they drop it in the mail or send it by wire.
This is ridiculous. It’s not fast at all.
What you want to look for instead are casinos that process payments at least five days per week, and preferably over the weekends, too. Choose one that takes two days or less to process your request.
Find a casino like this, combined with a solid list of speedy withdrawal options, and you’ll have found one of the fastest paying online casinos for US gamblers.
Fast payouts are important. Who doesn’t want to get their casino winnings as fast as humanly possible? But it’s not the only criteria that matters. And it might not even be the most important criterion for you.
That’s why we list the top US online casinos in a variety of different categories. It doesn’t matter if you want to find a casino based on banking options, locations, specific games, bonuses, and more, chances are, we have recommendations for where you should play.
If fast payouts are important to you, join one of the fast paying US online casinos listed on this page. If you want to explore other options, you’ll find our different casino categories and recommendations on the following page.
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.
Rank | PA Casinos | Bonus Offer | Progressive | Slots | Play Now! |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | BetMGM Casino | $25 Free + 100% up to $1,000 | Divine Fortune + Mercy of the Gods | 80+ | Play Now! |
2. | Caesars Casino | 100% up to $500 | N/A | 36+ | Play Now! |
3. | FanDuel Casino | $200 Risk-Free | N/A | 25+ | Play Now! |
4. | Unibet Casino | $10 Free + 100% up to $500 | Jackpot Shores + Divine Fortune | 75+ | Play Now! |
5. | Fox Bet Casino | 100% up to $1500 | N/A | 12+ | Play Now! |
6. | DraftKings Casino | $45 Free + 100% up to $1500 | N/A | 25+ | Play now! |
7. | BetRivers Casino | 100% up to $250 | Divine Fortune | 50+ | Play Now! |
8. | Sugarhouse Casino | 100% up to $250 | Divine Fortune | 70+ | Play Now! |
9. | Hollywood Casino | $10 Free + 100% up to $502 | Divine Fortune | 80+ | Play Now! |
10. | PokerStars Casino | 100% up to $1500 | N/A | 25+ | Play Now! |
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.
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
PA Online Casino | Launch Date |
---|---|
Sugarhouse Online Casino PA | July 17, 2019 |
Hollywood Casino | July 15, 2019 |
Parx Casino PA | July 15, 2019 |
PokerStars Casino | Nov. 4, 2019 |
Unibet via Mohegan Sun Pocono | Nov. 12, 2019 |
FanDuel Casino via Valley Forge | Jan. 24, 2020 |
BetAmerica (Presque Isle Downs) | Jan. 28, 2020 |
BetRivers (Rivers Philadelphia) | Jan. 30, 2020 |
Caesars Online Casino (Harrah's Philadelphia) | April 23, 2020 |
DraftKings Casino (Hollywood) | May 1, 2020 |
Wind Creek Casino | July 24, 2020 |
PlayLive! (Live! Casino & Hotel) | Aug. 14, 2020 |
BetMGM (Hollywood) | Dec. 1, 2020 |
Golden Nugget NJ | TBD |
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.
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.
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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.
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.