Sports betting would also be legalized pending changes to the PASPA bill.Īmong other activities, the PGCB releases annual report on the casino industry diversity. In October 2017, Wolf signed House Bill 271, a bill designed to change the legalities of gaming within the state, principally online gambling and fantasy sports. Governor Tom Wolf, sworn-in in 2015, is PA’s 47th governor, helped legalize online gambling. This tax goes a long way to support players with gambling problems and those affected by gambling in the state of PA. At the same time, a number of tax-related rules are also stipulated, such as withholding taxable profits from players. The PGCB requires all license holders to follow the rules about auditing, log keeping, and more. The PGCB aims to protect the public, primarily the residents of Pennsylvania, by enforcing stringent rules on casinos, operators, and players that will hopefully increase the industry’s integrity. Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) – Mission, Goals, and Objectives The rigorous licensing process that establishments must follow to get the license ensures proper transactional audits, financial protection, and personal identity protection. When gambling online in PA, it’s imperative to play at websites fully licensed by the PGCB. Geo-locating software will also record your approximate location to ensure you are in the state, and spoofing your location is considered fraud. The legal age to play at both land-based and online casinos in the state of Pennsylvania is 21 on the door, you will require a valid government-issued photo ID, and online, you will have to submit details, including the last four digits of your SSN. This monumental move for the gambling industry in PA led the way to millions of dollars of government funds being raised through licensing, and, of course, all winnings are taxable by the state. The first online platform was launched in 2019 after a bill in 2017 paved the way for licensing, regulation, and proper structure. Licenses provided by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board permit 12 Pennsylvania-based land casinos the right to launch an online casino platform, usually in partnership with another operator, and each hosts a collection of gambling software from various providers.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania online casinos legal