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Got a question about Pennsylvania sports betting? We’ve got the answer right here.
Below you’ll find a comprehensive PA sports betting FAQ with answers to just about every question ever asked about betting on sports in the Keystone State.
Where can I bet on sports in Pennsylvania?
As of the beginning of May 2019 there are eight retail sportsbooks taking bets in Pennsylvania. This includes six casino sportsbooks and two others at off-track betting parlors. The six casinos offering PA sports betting are:
• Hollywood Casino
• SugarHouse Casino
• Rivers Casino
• Parx Casino
• Harrah’s Philadelphia
• FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge Casino
Presque Isle Downs has applied for a PA sports betting license and is expected to launch a retail sportsbook June 1, 2019. Mount Airy Casino has also applied for a sports betting license and will partner with The Stars Group to launch online sports betting in PA. The partners must launch a retail sportsbook in conjunction with the app as well.
The two off-track betting parlors with PA sports betting:
• South Philadelphia Turf Club
• Valley Forge Turf Club
Can I bet on sports online in Pennsylvania?
The PlaySugarHouse PA sports betting app launched on May 28 2019, becoming the first online and mobile PA sports betting operation. Six other PA sports betting apps have a May or June 2019 launch planned. These PA sports betting apps are:
• BetRivers
• FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge Casino
• Hollywood Casino at Penn National (William Hill)
• Harrah’s Philadelphia (Caesars)
• Presque Isle Downs (BetAmerica)
• Parx Casino Sportsbook
Mount Airy Casino has also applied for a sports betting license and will partner with The Stars Group in launching a BetStars PA sports betting app. PA sports betting apps will allow anyone in PA and over the age of 21 to bet sports online from wherever they are inside state lines.
Do I have to be a Pennsylvania resident to bet sports in the state?
No. Anyone inside state lines can bet at retail sportsbooks or PA online betting apps. The key is that you must be inside state lines at the time you place the bet.
Is there an age restriction on PA sports betting?
Yes. You must be 21 years of age or older to bet on sports in PA.
How big is the Pennsylvania sports betting market?
The state’s first legal sportsbook launched in November 2018. Through March 2019 PA sports operators have taken more than $125 million in bets, a figure generally referred to as handle. This has generated $12.5 million in revenue for sportsbooks and $4.5 million in tax revenue for the state.
We do know that Pennsylvania’s gaming revenue is usually a little more than a third the size of Nevada’s each year. That puts handle estimates for a mature PA sports betting market at around $1.5 billion each year.
Is all sports betting now legal in Pennsylvania?
No. You can only bet sports legally at licensed retail sportsbooks and PA sports betting apps. It’s still against the law to be with a bookie or offshore online sportsbook.
What kind of information must I provide to sign up for a PA sports betting app?
Most PA pa online sports betting operators are going to require some basic information about you before you can start wagering. This includes things like your name, address, date of birth and email address. You also need to provide the apps with the last few digits of your Social Security Number for age and identity verification purposes.
How do PA sports betting apps know I’m inside state lines?
PA sports betting apps know whether or not you are in the state by using geolocation technology. This essentially pinpoints your location before you are allowed to place a bet. You don’t need to be from PA, or even live here. However, you must be physically in the state when you place a bet.
How do you get money on and off a PA sports betting app?
You can do all of your banking directly with any PA sports betting app. There is no need to visit a casino to sign up, make a deposit, or make a withdrawal. Most PA sports betting apps will accept:
• Credit and Debit cards
• Bank transfers
• eChecks
• Third-party payment processor transactions
There is no need to visit a casino, but you can if you want to. Most casinos will offer prepaid cards and accept cash at the cage for deposits to their PA sports betting apps.
Do the sports betting apps in New Jersey offer more?
There are certainly a few differences between the sports betting apps in the two states. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is more restrictive in terms of what it allows people to bet on. That means you won’t see betting on the Oscars or Presidential Election in PA. The NFL and NBA drafts will be off the board in PA as well. In short, PA sportsbooks are limited to offering action on things directly tied to sporting events only. New Jersey sportsbooks also have larger marketing budgets. Pennsylvania has the country’s highest sports betting tax at 34%. That means a little less money to play with in terms of marketing and promotions in PA.
What can I bet on in PA?
If it is a legitimate major sporting event you can legally bet on it at licensed retail sportsbooks and PA online sports betting apps. The NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, PGA and more are all on the board. Plus, big time boxing events and MMA matches. That means point-spread bets, moneyline bets, total, parlays, and props on just about every major sport.
Which government agency watches over PA sports betting?
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has been tasked with overseeing PA sports betting. Both racetracks and casinos can accept wagers. It put together the state’s sports betting regulations, collects the required $10 million sports betting license fee and makes the decisions on granting PA sports betting licenses.
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