Real Live Casino Online

1. Live Dealer Online Casino
2. Live Dealer
3. Live Online Casino Real Money
4. Real Live Casino Online

1. In a live online casino, a dealer runs the game in real time and players make betting decisions through a console on their computer. The optical character recognition technology the live casino games use makes it possible for a result to be translated into data and utilized by software.
2. Best Games to Win Real Money USA. Huge jackpots and potential payouts attract many players to play online casino games for real money. When choosing an online casino game to play however, check the Return to Player (RTP) percentages before depositing any cash. If it offers poor odds or requires a hefty minimum bet per round that greatly reduces your gameplay, find a real money casino.

Now, with the online casino real money industry at its peak, almost everything you are able to do at a brick and mortar casino can also be done online. One of the most recent and revolutionary changes to the industry was the addition of live dealer casinos.

Live dealer blackjack is nowadays one of the most popular online casino games. It has the same feel and look of the real blackjack found in land-based casinos, but it’s played through a live stream with a professional dealer sitting in front of the camera.

There are literally hundreds of different websites on which you can enjoy live dealer blackjack these days such as Wild Casino. Apart from websites being different, the games aren’t always the same either. Although some blackjack games might have the same rules, there can be quite a gap in the video and sound quality, interface, and the overall aesthetics of the game.

My article will focus on several key factors of choosing the finest live blackjack game and playing blackjack in general:

Read the following text carefully, and you will certainly pick the best live blackjack games on the web!

Top US Live Dealer Blackjack Casinos

Picking the best live blackjack casinos was not an easy task. I have put myself into the player’s perspective and taken into account many things in order to come up with the ultimate list of the finest blackjack casino operators.

Casino	Offer	Devices	Play Now / Review
$5,000 Welcome Bonus
First 3 Deposits, Get Up To $6000
$5500 Welcome Bonus
First 3 Deposits, Get Up To $6000
$5000 Welcome Bonus
$3,000
First 3 Deposits, Get Up To $3000

When it comes to choosing where to play libe blackjack for real money you should not venture on your own, especially if you don’t have that much experience with online gambling to begin with. You will at least need some basic guidance, and that’s where I come in.

By reading my article, you will be able to learn all about the best casino sites that offer top-shelf live blackjack games. I selected these websites according to certain criteria that ensure you will enjoy fair and legit casino games with the best possible gaming experience.

How We Choose Our Live Blackjack Casinos

Just in case you were wondering what is so important when choosing the right blackjack game and website, here are several key factors that played a role in the creation of this list.

Live Dealer Online Casino

Live Dealer Blackjack Versus Land-Based Blackjack

While blackjack in a land-based casino can never be truly replaced, live online blackjack is at least the best possible way to mimic the experience of playing on a real blackjack table.

What’s more, you can enjoy live dealer blackjack from the comfort of your own home, or anywhere else you see fit. Bonuses and promotions that are associated with playing live dealer games are yet another thing that is exclusive to online casinos.

In other words, playing blackjack online is simply more convenient and comes with more perks compared to the land-based version of the game.

As far as the rules go, they will be the same regardless of the manner of playing the game. However, online operators usually offer several different variations of blackjack, while you might find only one or two blackjack tables at your local casino.

How Does Live Blackjack Work

If you load a game of live blackjack on your desktop, smartphone, or tablet, you will see a virtual gaming table, which you can use to place bets. At the same time, the gaming screen includes a video box through which the live gaming action is continuously streamed to your device. In the live video, you can see a real croupier operating the live blackjack game.

Hypalinx

You must understand that the video you see is not per-recorded and the game you are playing is not generated by computer software. You are viewing a game that is really being played either at a gaming studio or at a land-based casino. You are also placing bets on that game. If you still feel that this cannot be possible, you can interact with the croupier running the game through a chat box on your gaming screen.

Since live blackjack is a game that is actually being played at a physical location, it takes you as close to the land-based casino gaming experience as possible.

Live Blackjack in the US

Since the US is a grey jurisdiction, US players cannot enjoy a wide choice of live blackjack games. Ever since the US federal government passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, a large number of operators, payment processors, and software providers withdrew from the US market, leaving residents with very few gambling options.

For example, Microgaming, the casino gaming software giant, has developed the largest number of live games, but doesn’t offer its services to US residents.

In spite of this, US residents can play at live casinos powered by US friendly software providers such as Visionary iGaming and Global Gaming Labs. The latter has been in the US for a long time and has partnered with well-known online casinos that offer live games such as Wild Casino.

Live Dealer Blackjack Casinos

You can rest assured that live blackjack games are 100% fair and random.

A live blackjack game can just not be rigged by the casino authorities because its results are based on actual gaming activity.

To start playing live blackjack, you only have to register any of our recommended live blackjack casinos.

How to Play Live Blackjack: Step by Step Guide

I will take the liberty of assuming that you’re not a very experienced online gambler (that’s probably why you’re reading this article in the first place), but don’t worry, we all have to start somewhere. I didn’t know much about live blackjack not so many years ago, and now I feel I’m capable of guiding other people on how to play it.

So, without further ado, here are a few necessary steps that you need to take in order to start playing live blackjack.

Choosing Casino Operators and Game Providers

First thing’s first, and that’s picking the online casino with quality live blackjack games. I’ve already done that part of the homework for you, so you can simply check my list above, but that’s not enough.

You also need to consider the type of game you’re looking to play. If you enjoy common draw blackjack, I suggest you try NetEnt’s version of the game.

For players who prefer a low-stake game with communicative dealers, Evolution Gaming’s Live Blackjack Party should do the trick.

In any case, choose your operators and providers wisely so you can have the best possible live blackjack experience.

Setting up an Account and Depositing

If you wish to play for real money, you first must set up an account on your desired online casino site. The registration process is usually quite straightforward and requires a few easy steps that include entering your personal details.

Unless you are using a live blackjack no deposit bonus that some online casinos offer, you will be required to fund your account. The minimum deposit amount depends on the operator’s rules, but it’s usually around $10. Simply choose your banking method and wait for a couple of minutes before the deposit goes through.

There are also in-game deposits that allow you to refund your account without losing a seat at the table.

Finding Live Blackjack Games

While you’re on the operator’s homepage, try to locate a section that includes all the casino’s live dealer games. Here, you will be able to find live blackjack among other popular live games such as roulette, casino Hold’em, baccarat, and others.

Click on the game of your choice and wait for it to load. Once the current round of betting ends and the next one begins, you will be included in the game.

Live Blackjack Betting

The digital interface of the game will help you keep track of the betting. To bet, simply click on one of the differently-sized chips.

The timer will clearly state how many seconds you have left until the bets are closed, but this will also be stated by the dealer sitting in front of the camera.

Once the action starts and the cards are dealt, you will have several options on how to play your hand.

• Hit or receive another card
• Stand or stop receiving any more cards
• Double their bets in case of a favorable hand
• Split pairs and play two hands simultaneously

The resulting hand is then compared to the dealers and players will either win or lose their bets. After the winning hands are revealed, your winning bets will be paid according to the paytable that you can check inside the game. For example if a player gets blackjack or a hand that equals point value 21, they will receive a payout of 3 to 2. If players do not win anything, they can place another bet and play again.Any lost bets are automatically deducted from your balance.

Depending on the rules of the live blackjack game they are playing, players can also purchase insurance against a possible dealer blackjack or surrender bad hands and get back half their bets.

Each live blackjack game has a separate set of rules for dealers and players. If players need to interact with the live croupier or fellow players anytime during the game, they can do so using the chat box in their gaming screen. However, chat rules are very strict at live casinos. Players are not allowed to make rude or offensive remarks. If they do, the live casino will prevent them from using the chat functionality. In order to protect live dealers from such unpleasant experiences, some casinos do not offer the chat functionality, but this takes all the fun away from the live dealer game.

Withdrawals

You can choose to end the game of live blackjack in between any two hands. All winnings will be credited to your casino account, after which you can request a withdrawal to your banking method of choice.

Navigate to the casino’s cashier page and request a cash-out. Depending on the payment method, you might wait between 48 hours and several business days for the payment to go through. Of course, you can always choose to keep the money in your account and use it to play more live blackjack.

Live Blackjack on Mobile

All modern live blackjack games are mobile-compatible, meaning that you can enjoy playing them on your personal smartphone or tablet. Most of all, mobile players have all the same options as desktop users.

Enjoying live blackjack on mobile is really convenient and allows you to play on the move — something that’s simply not possible when playing on PC.

Depending on the casino site, you can play live blackjack either by entering a mobile-friendly website directly through your browser or by downloading their dedicated mobile app. The majority of sites from my list have live blackjack available to both iOS and Android users.

Live Blackjack Tips & Strategies

Live Dealer

The game of blackjack is more about luck than it is about skill, but you should nevertheless be familiar with some betting strategies if you wish to raise your chances of winning.

So, before you even create an online casino account and load your first live blackjack game, you should come up with an effective game plan. Luckily, you won’t have to overheat your brain and learn all the mathematical possibilities on your own. All you need is a few betting charts that I will share with you below and that are relatively easy to follow.

Live Blackjack Rules

Live blackjack is similar to online blackjack and the blackjack played at land-based casinos. The game has a number of variants, each of which stands in a class of its own although based on standard blackjack rules.

Here are some of those rule variations:

• Live blackjack games may use six, seven, or eight decks of playing cards.
• Live casinos may offer either one-to-one blackjack tables the way it is done at land-based casinos or one-to-many tables.
• Croupiers running one-to-many tables receive bets from as many players as possible and deal the same hand to each player.
• The dealer will either stand or hit on soft 17.
• Rules related to doubling the wager, splitting card pairs, the number of times pairs can be split, surrendering, purchasing insurance, and so on vary from one live blackjack game to the other.
• The betting limits vary from variant to variant and casino to casino. If you are a high roller who wants to play high-limit live blackjack, you only have to contact customer care. Depending on the online casino you are playing at, you can bet up to $5,000 at a time.

The best thing about this table is that you won’t be required to memorize it. Simply keep the printed version of the table near you when you’re playing the game. Of course, you won’t be allowed to do this while playing blackjack in a land-based casino, but since the live blackjack dealer cannot see what you are doing, having this kind of a cheat-sheet is completely legal

Splitting Pairs

Splitting Pairs allows you to split two cards of the same value and play them as two separate hands. Of course, this also means that you need to make another bet equal to the original one.

Many novice players think that splitting any two identical cards is favorable, but that’s far from the truth. You should only split your hand on certain card values while also paying attention to the dealer’s up-card.

Doubling Down

Doubling down in live blackjack means that you can double your bet once the cards have been dealt to you. However, a general rule states that you are only able to receive one extra card after doubling down, so be careful when you choose to do this.

Again, you should consider the dealer’s up-card as well, and check the table’s rules, as some games have extra restrictions when it comes to doubling down.

Things to Consider When Playing Live Blackjack

Apart from the general rules of the game and its strategies, there are also a few technical things you need to consider before stepping into the world of live blackjack.

Stakes

One of the first things you need to do before playing any online gambling game is to decide on your gambling budget. Think about how much money you are willing to risk while playing live blackjack, which will then help you decide on the stake limits.

Some live blackjack games are played with relatively low stakes, making them ideal for beginners. Others, like VIP live blackjack, are reserved for high-rollers that can spend up to several hundred dollars per betting round.

Hardware

Live casino games are a little more demanding than regular ones. Make sure that the device you are playing on is capable of supporting these games so you can play without any technical issues.

If you’re playing on a relatively new PC or mobile device, you shouldn’t encounter any problems, but inform yourself on the minimum system requirements just in case.

Internet Connection

Internet connection is important for two reasons. First, you would want to avoid being cut out of the game because of the lost or slow internet connection. All technical errors on your part will result in an immediate loss relating to a current betting round.

Also, a stable internet connection will allow you to enjoy live blackjack in crystal clear HD picture quality, which is the whole point of playing the game with a live dealer. Low video and sound quality mean that you probably have a slow internet connection.

Final Thoughts

Live blackjack is the most popular live dealer game in the US and beyond. It offers a perfect combination of strategy and luck, and can make you rich incredibly quickly, but only if you play your cards right.

In order to have the best possible experience when playing live blackjack, you need to choose the best operators with high-quality games in their libraries. The list I provided above includes some of the most renowned online casinos that host thousands of players on a daily basis.

I had a really good time writing this extensive live blackjack guide, and I hope you did too while reading it. If you want to ask me a question or wish to add something to this subject, feel free to leave a comment below.

Frequently Asked Questions

With Live Dealer Blackjack offering the same human touch, rules, and gambling experience you can find in the best of land-based casinos, there are little excuses not to give this popular casino game a try. And if you’re still unable to make up your mind, here are the most frequent concerns about Live Dealer Blackjack addressed, to help you on your way.

How to play live blackjack?

What are the best live dealer blackjack casinos?

Where can I find the best live blackjack games for US players?

How does live dealer blackjack work?

Can I make a living by playing live blackjack?

How to beat live blackjack?

Is Live Blackjack Fixed?

The simple answer to this question is that casinos don’t need to fix their games to earn money. Blackjack has an inherent house edge that ensures casinos turn a profit with each hand and have fewer reasons to cheat. Also, most players who join a table are rarely skillful enough to increase their advantage significantly, thus giving the casino an even bigger house edge and fewer reasons to pull tricks.

And even if a casino dared to fix their games, the news will spread so fast around the online community that it will be impossible to prevent leaks. This will, in turn, get the casino blacklisted and lead to millions in loses, which is not something worth risking over an already profitable game.

Can I play live dealer blackjack on mobile?

Can You Count Cards in Live Blackjack?

Even though it seems like the perfect opportunity, since Live Dealer Blackjack doesn’t rely on RNGs, the reality is that card counting in live games is impossible. Not only do live dealer games use 6 to 8 decks, which complicates the matter by itself, but they also only go up to 50% penetration. This means that you’ll never get past half the deck, thus making your counting skills entirely useless.

Live Online Casino Real Money

What is the House Edge in Live Blackjack?

There is no simple answer to this question. With Blackjack, the house edge depends both on the variation of the game but also you as a player. The more skillful and optimal your play is, the lower your house edge will be.

The average theoretical house edge is often said to be 1%, but with the right rules and style of play it can go even lower, sometimes even as low as 0.48%. However, it can also get higher, especially if you have little knowledge of the game.

Is Strategy Important?

Yes it is. Blackjack is a game of using simple math and planning, and as such requires a sound knowledge of basic strategy. If you’re only playing it haphazardly, you will only waste your money away.

Do Other Players at the Table Affect my Outcomes?

As logical as this common myth sounds, it is very far from the truth. While it’s true that a player before you might have some effect on the next outcome, mathematically speaking this doesn’t affect your odds at any significant level.

What’s the Difference between Live Blackjack and Blackjack in Land-Based Casinos?

There’s little to zero difference between both games, except for the personal experience. Both offline and online live Blackjack games have a human dealer, follow the same rules, and pay out the same.

There might be some games that offer a different rule or two, but the same can be said about land-based casinos.

How Many Decks are used in Live Blackjack?

Since Live Dealer tables can be abused with the help of software and card counting algorithms within the comfort of your home, live dealer games are usually played with 6 to 8 decks. Eight decks is the most common variety, as it allows for longer play before the cards are reshuffled. It’s always important to note the number of decks used, so that you can adjust your strategy.

Should I Accept “Even Money”?

Live dealer games now offer the same insurance that you can find in land-based casinos. The “even money” bet is normally offered when a dealer’s hole card can end up being a 10 value card, thus giving the dealer Blackjack. The wager pays 2 to 1, meaning you can end up with half your money back, should the dealer win.

But as lucrative as this sounds, it’s highly advised that you don’t take insurance, since statistics have shown that the probability of dealer Blackjack is lower than the probability of busting. Namely, you have a 69% chance of winning that bet, i.e. you have the upper hand.

Can I Play Live Blackjack for Free?

No. While there are some casinos that let you watch a Live Blackjack game for free, you can’t actually interact in any way with the game. Thus, if you want to practice your strategies, you can use the free demo versions of regular Blackjack games offered at most online casinos.

How Fast Does My Internet Connection Have to Be When I Play Live Dealer Blackjack?

Since live games are streamed in HD, it is better if you have a fast optical or ADSL connection for best experience. Lower connections speeds will lead to glitches and lags, which can end up causing mistakes from your side. That’s why you should always check your connection speed before you join a table.

Other Live Dealer Games....

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.

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.

Real Live Casino Online

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.