Gambling Laws In Pennsylvania
Even though the most restrictive federal anti-gambling law - PASPA - is finally gone (opening the door to sports betting in PA), the United States has two other laws which regulate gambling all across the country, such as the Federal Wire Act of 1961 and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). This does not mean, however, that the average citizen is unable to place a bet. These remaining federal laws leave much leeway for each individual state to develop their own laws to expound upon.
With that said, the Pennsylvania gambling laws place their own regulations in regards to gaming in the Keystone State and PennsylvaniaGamblingSites is here to break it all down for residents. Get ready to learn about what can and cannot be done with legal and safe gambling being the ultimate goal.
PASPA Has Been Overturned By The Supreme Court!
Now that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) has been overturned by the Supreme Court in a landmark 6-3 decision, PA sports betting has the green light. In fact, the state anticipated this federal ruling and has already passed Act No. 42, which lays out the basic framework for a legal PA sports betting industry.
However, a few regulatory kinks will have to be worked out before any PA resident can head over to their local casino or racetrack to place a sports wager. Additionally, there is going to be a longer wait for full Internet-based wagering to go live in the state, so in the meantime (and possibly afterwards), it's a good idea to simply keep using the online sportsbooks that already serve the area from overseas (Bovada, SportsBetting, BetDSI, etc.). After all, this activity remains 100% safe, secure, and legal.
Pennsylvania happens to be one of the more relaxed states when it comes to gambling regulations and residents who enjoy making wagers are happy to know that laws are generously vague. Gambling has been legalized to a certain degree as a number of state-licensed casinos, bingo halls, and racinos exist for Pennsylvania residents to enjoy, but gambling outside of such venues has very little legislation. The Pennsylvania statutes make no definition of what 'Gambling' is nor does it mention it as unlawful.
A few things that the gambling laws in Pennsylvania do note is that no one may own gambling devices or be involved in any numbers games. Pool selling and bookmaking are also mentioned as unlawful by unlicensed entities (thanks to the overturning of PASPA, which used to ban sports betting outright), and a person engaged in such activities is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. After this legal language, it is up to a resident of Pennsylvania to determine how to proceed in terms of gambling. It appears that the state has given a green light to social bettors to do as they please and simply refrain from operating a gambling business of any sort.
What is important for locals of the Keystone State to take away from all of this is that nowhere is it written that a citizen is not allowed to place a bet. This joins the same federal regulations which ensure that no one engages in the business of gambling or facilitating bets, which has now been largely relieved by the removal of PASPA, though the state of PA has sole licensing authority. These laws are intended to take down organized crime and underground networks where large sums of money are exchanged, not Philadelphia Eagles fans who have bet on the halftime score. Pennsylvania residents do indeed have a green light to proceed.
Sports betting will soon be available in all of the state-sanctioned casinos and racinos. Traditional casino games (both electronic and physical) are available throughout the state, and recently live poker has been made available for state casinos to utilize. Pennsylvania also happens to be one of the few states where there are no tribal casinos and all gambling facilities are state licensed. Essentially, gambling in the Keystone State is legal.
Land-Based Gambling In Pennsylvania
As Pennsylvania remains one of the more relaxed gambling states which has its own state sanctioned casinos, land based betting options are available all across the state. Pennsylvania gambling regulations maintained by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board provide the ability to supply up to 14 licenses for slot machine operations, 7 of which may be issued to racinos, 5 to be issued to stand alone casinos and 2 to be issued to existing hotel resorts. In 2017 the board will be authorized to issue a third resort license, further expanding the casino options in the state of Pennsylvania. As of now, 13 of the 14 licenses have been awarded with each venue capable of having 250 table games except for resorts which may only have 50. Resorts may, however, have up to 600 slot machines after recent legislation. Pennsylvania offers its citizens most of all the major forms of gambling with sports betting being the only exception.
Online Gambling In Pennsylvania
All of the relaxed gambling laws and regulations of Pennsylvania extend into the online world just as they do governing the land based gambling industry. There is absolutely no mention whatsoever of online gambling in the Pennsylvania state legislation in regards to gambling and the state does not offer any type of its own licensed online gambling sites. This leads residents to refer to federal legislation which governs and regulates the entire nation's gambling habits. As noted at the forefront of this page, federal laws are only meant to prevent the business of and facilitation of gambling, not the actual act of making a bet. It is written nowhere, either state or federally, that a citizen may not place a bet online. This means for Pennsylvania residents that all they need to do to gamble online is find a place which can facilitate their bets legally.
Obviously, with the far reaching expanse of the internet, there are dozens of options available in the form of online sportsbooks, casinos and poker rooms. Simply knowing where to find them and which ones are respectable is the only journey one needs to take. There are numerous legitimate sites which offer secure and reliable transactions for all legally aged Pennsylvania residents that are located throughout the world and safely outside of both Pennsylvania and federal jurisdiction. Every form of gambling is available and every betting type and option is also available in each form. From Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and South America, sites which are predominantly made for Americans despite their locale are available for exploration and legal betting action.
Popular Gambling Options In Pennsylvania:
Online Sportsbooks - Online Casinos - Online Poker
One of the most impressive online gambling sites which has been in operation for nearly two decades and located in nearby Canada is Bovada. This online gambling network is unique that they are highly rated in every field of wagering. Whether it is sports betting, casino games, horse racing or poker, Bovada is capable of catering to all and at a level of excellence. This online gambling site also hosts the most amount of betting options for each category whether users are looking for high or low stakes poker, or wagering player propositions in an NFL game or betting on who the winner will be for next year's Kentucky Derby.
Bovada's strongest points are that they have provided the utmost in 24/7 customer service as well very secure and discreet banking transactions. Residents of Pennsylvania will find their winnings safely mailed by check to them within 10 business days at their request. New members are even rewarded for joining up with generous welcome bonuses such as the 50% welcome bonus to their online sportsbook worth up to $250 on an initial deposit.
| Best Overall Betting Sites | Sports? | Casino? | Poker? | Horses? | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| BetOnline | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| SportsBetting | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
As according to the Pennsylvania gambling code, the legal age to gamble within the Keystone State is set at a minimum of 18 years old. Keeping this in mind, some casinos within the state require a higher age to gamble in their establishments; usually 21 years old. If a Pennsylvania resident chooses to take to the net to get their gambling fix, they will find that the age for membership to most online gambling sites is 18 years old.
Best For All Gaming Types
