Online Gambling In Pa Legal
Pennsylvania Online Casinos Pennsylvania is the most populous US state with legal, regulated online gambling in 2020. The omnibus expansion package Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law in 2017 authorized. Online gambling is legal in Pennsylvania. On October 30, 2017, PA governor Tom Wolf signed into law the bill that legalised online sports betting, online casino gambling, and online poker in.
Thousands of Americans gamble online. But is online gambling legal? We break it down to show you what you can do, what you can't do, and what's still up in the air.
by Katherine Butler
updated September 03, 2020 · 2min read
The legality of online gambling is ever-changing. But one thing is constant: it makes a lot of money. Online gambling industry makes an estimated $1 billion dollars annually. This is a huge business, and a lot of people have cashed in on it. But it has led to some ambiguous legal issues, as the legality of online gambling is constantly being challenged.
There are differences in the legality of making bets, taking bets, facilitating payments to casinos, and advertising on websites. And there are constantly new legal challenges. So here is a breakdown of the law on online gambling.
Legal Forms of Gambling
There is no federal law against placing a wager online. So, you can legally place a bet online. However, a wager must not be placed on a site located in the United States. There is a small chance players might run afoul of state law, but there is little chance of prosecution. The only case cited where a person got into trouble with a state was in 2003. Jeffrey Trauman of North Dakota paid a $500 fine on over $100,000 of online sports bet winnings.
Sites that are set up outside of the United States are legal. Therefore, gambling on websites located in areas like Australia, the Caribbean, and Latin America is legal. Just be very clear that the site you are playing on is not based on U.S. soil.
Definitely Not Legal Forms of Gambling
It is never legal to gamble on a website based in the United States. Also, if you are planning to operate an online gambling site, stay outside of the United States. You must also deal only with casino and poker wagers (not sports bets) from people in the US. And you cannot take bets over the phone from people in the United States.
Accepting online gambling advertising is also illegal. If you are a small publisher, you are less likely to be prosecuted, but why risk it? As of early 2009, only large and mid-size publishers had faced prosecution. In 2007, the three big search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft) each paid a fine for accepting online gambling ads, but did not face criminal charges. Other publishers, such as Esquire Magazine, have been warned by the government not to take online gambling advertising.
Facilitating the transfer of funds to online casinos is also a bad idea. As of 2006, it became illegal for American banks to process transactions originating from or directed toward any online gambling operator. Because of this, several sites then refused to take bets from American players. But as the law seems difficult to enforce, it has not turned the tide completely for American players.
Still up in the Air
Advertisers who promote sports books in magazines and on billboards may or may not face prosecution. So far, sports books have never been scrutinized for advertising online. And online casinos, poker rooms, and sports books have never been prosecuted for buying ads.
Online casinos and operators still accept American players. And international financial parties have continued to process their transactions. The legality is always changing and there have been attempts to declare online wagering against the law, but for now, U.S. citizens who simply place bets online are in the clear.
Online poker is legal in Pennsylvania since 2017. PA players can access real money poker sites and play different games with poker players in the state.
PokerStars PA is the only legal PA poker site right now to play real money poker games online.
If you want to play (and secure a free $30 bonus to start with your first games) continue to this page.
On this page, you are going to learn:
- How to play online poker in Pennsylvania
- What are the best PA poker sites
- Why Pennsylvania gambling laws allow PokerStars to operate in PA
- Lots more
If you want to play the BEST online poker games in Pennsylvania, and you want to do so with the largest bonuses available to PA poker players, you'll love this new guide.
Let's dive right in.
PA Online Poker Sites
PokerStars PA is the best online poker site to offer real money games in Pennsylvania.
You can play legal real money online poker games in Pennsylvania from November 4, 2019.
That day, industry-leader PokerStars celebrated the first-ever 'shuffle up and deal of their PA-focused poker site.
888poker and partypoker are also expected to launch an online poker site in Pennsylvania in 2020 to compete with their arch-rival.
The opening of more PA online poker sites like 888poker PA and partypoker PA represents a great opportunity for all PA poker players.
More competition between international giants like these three is sure to result in great online events, synergies between online and offline operations and (why not) all great PA poker bonuses.
Here's a recap of the best PA online poker sites available to play real money poker games in Pennsylvania right now:
| Poker Site | Status | Play |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | Active | Register Here |
| 888poker PA | Coming Soon | N/A |
| partypoker PA | Coming Soon | N/A |
PokerStars Pennsylvania
PokerStars is the only poker site authorised to offer real money poker games to PA players.
This is the only PA poker site where you play free games to win real money (freeroll tournaments), play all the most popular poker variants, and experience international hits like PokerStars' Spin and Go tournaments.
When you register to play online poker games in PA on PokerStars, you get:
- An excellent bonus package with tickets to play Spin and Go tournaments
- A bonus match bonus on your first deposit
- The best customer support service in the industry
- Unlimited access to the only online legal poker games in PA
PokerStars PA has seen well over 600 players activate an account during the first night of action alone — with that number growing ever since.
The games on PokerStars PA are ring-fenced. Pennsylvania gambling laws do not allow the PA online poker sites to share liquidity (and player pool) with any of the poker sites in NJ, Delaware, and Nevada.
PokerStars' PA online poker site is operated in cooperation with the Mount Airy Casino Resort, the brands' partner in the State.
Games and Tournaments on PokerStars PA
Since this is the only legal poker site in Pennsylvania, PokerStars PA is where you find all the best online games.
The PokerStars PA poker client features an extensive offer of both cash games and poker tournaments.
Cash Games on PokerStars PA
The ring action reaches its peak in the evening when PokerStars PA continues to register the highest number of active players at its tables.
The cash games feature stakes that start at $0.01/$0.02 and go all the way up to $25/$50.
While not many PA poker players can afford the $25/$50 tables, you get a lot of action when you join the $1/$2 NLH games.
The majority of players on PokerStars PA are on the site to play no-limit hold'em games. However, this poker site also features a great range of other options, including:
- Limit Hold'em
- Omaha
- Seven-Card Stud
- H.O.R.S.E
- Razz
- 2-7 Triple Draw
Online Tournaments on PokerStars PA
As a tournament player, you are going to love the offering and the tournament calendar that PokerStars has planned to become the top online poker site in Pennsylvania.
The offer of no-limit hold'em is great and so are some of the guaranteed prizes available every day.
Some of the top daily events run by PokerStars in Pennsylvania include tournaments like the Hot Turbos, the KO Fever, the Moonlight Express, and the Nightly Stars.
You can also enjoy some Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Stud poker action with the Change Up daily events.
But the daily guaranteed multi-table online poker tournaments are events where everyone end up, sooner or later.
| Tournament | Time | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Big $5 | 4 p.m. | $5 | $500 |
| The Big $30 | 5 p.m. | $30 | $1,000 |
| The Big $50 | 6 p.m. | $50 | $2,000 |
| The Big $10 | 6 p.m. | $10 | $1,000 |
| The Big $20 | 7 p.m. | $20 | $1,500 |
All times are EST
The Sunday Majors on PokerStars PA
Now that online poker is legal in PA you can join your share of weekend actions with PokerStars' legendary Sunday poker tournaments.
The Sunday Majors are the best poker tournaments in PA. There you find the most exciting action and, of course, the best real money prizes.
The Sunday action at PokerStars PA begins with the $8,500 GTD Sunday Warm-Up, a $50 buy-in event starting at 4 p.m., and leads to the $500 buy-in Sunday Special, the marquee event of the day where the players compete for a guarantee of $15,000.
| Tournament | Time | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Warm-Up | 4 p.m. | $50 | $8,500 |
| Sunday Storm | 5 p.m. | $10 | $4,500 |
| Sunday Special | 6 p.m. | $200 | $45,000 |
| Sunday High Roller | 7 p.m. | $500 | $15,000 |
| Sunday Supersonic | 10 p.m. | $75 | $5,000 |
PA Online Tournament Series
PokerStars brings to Pennsylvania poker players also some of their most successful annual online tournament series.
This is the site where you find massive multiplayer events like the Pennsylvania Spring Championship of Online Poker (PASCOOP), the Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker (PACOOP), and the Summer Series.
Keep visiting PokerNews.com to know more about these events and their online qualifiers as the respective schedules are released.
888poker Pennsylvania
888holdings is expected to launch their own 888poker PA poker site shortly after PokerStars.
The 888poker PA website will be the result of a cooperation between 888poker/WSOP.com and Harrah’s Casino.
The fact 888 and WSOP.com might merge their player pools could lead to their product being the one with the highest number of active players in Pennsylvania.
However, we do not have an official date for the launch of 888poker PA.
Back in September, 888poker's Head of Commercial DevelopmentYaniv Sherman announced that the company intended to adopt a 'selective approach' to online poker in Pennsylvania and would launch a new product in the state 'as soon as possible.'
Sherman mentioned PA's tax and fee regime as the main reason why the company decided to take a more cautionary approach and intended to work closely with their partners Harrah's and WSOP.com to make sure a jump in the PA online poker market would be as cost-efficient as possible.
partypoker Pennsylvania
partypoker is also expected to join the race and compete for a share of the market contended by the other PA poker sites.
GVC's online poker site intends to enter Pennsylvania in partnership with the Valley Forge Casino.
Like in the case of 888poker, we have yet to receive the official date of partypoker's launch in Pennsylvania.
Other Pennsylvania Poker Sites
PokerStars, 888poker, and partypoker are not the only companies that have decided to shape Pennsylvania's online poker market.
More names in the industry have decided to secure a license to offer real money poker games online to PA players, and so we can only expect other Pennsylvania poker sites to launch soon.
The list of companies that hold a license to launch poker sites in Pennsylvania includes:
- SugarHouse Poker
- Harrah's Poker
- Hollywood Casino Poker
- Mount Airy Poker
- Parx Poker
- Valley Forge Poker
- Wind Creek Poker
Pennsylvania Poker F.A.Q.
Can you play poker online in Pennsylvania?
Yes. PA players can play online poker games for free and for real money. Free-to-play poker apps like the WSOP Poker app are all legal in Pennsylvania.
PokerStars PA is the only poker site authorised by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to offer real money games online.
Can you play online poker for money in PA?
Yes. You can play real money cash games, tournament, sit-and-go and more on the PokerStars PA website. At present, this is the only real money poker site that operates in Pennsylvania under a license issued by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Online Gambling Pennsylvania
When will online poker start in PA?
Real money online poker in PA started on November 4, 2019, with the official release of the PokerStars PA online poker client.
How to play online poker in PA?
- Select one of the PA poker sites approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
- Register a free gaming account
- Confirm your identity
- Choose a poker game and play
Where can I play online poker in PA?
To date, the only online poker site authorised to offer real money poker games to PA players is PokerStars. Other PA online poker sites are expected to enter the state between Q1 and Q2-2020.
Is online gambling legal in Pennsylvania?
Legal Online Gambling In Pa
Online gambling is legal in Pennsylvania. On October 30, 2017, PA governor Tom Wolf signed into law the bill that legalised online sports betting, online casino gambling, and online poker in Pennsylvania.
Online Gambling In Pa Legal
PA online casinos and sports betting sites started to offer their services to PA players on July 15, 2019. The first real money online poker hand in Pennsylvania was dealt on PokerStars on November 4, 2019.