Betting in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania didn’t just legalize sports betting and iGaming early - it built one of the most profitable ecosystems in the country.

In 2024 alone, PA sportsbooks took in over $7 billion in handle, while online casinos generated more than $2 billion in revenue, making it the #1 iGaming market in the United States by a wide margin.

For bettors, that scale means deep menus, highly competitive casino content, polished apps, and operators that invest heavily in product quality because the market is simply too valuable to treat casually.

PA’s tax model is famously aggressive:

• 36% tax on sportsbook revenue
• 54% tax on online slots
• 16% on online table games

Those rates don’t just impact state revenue - they influence the player experience.

High tax pressure tightens promos, thins out long-term bonuses, and limits the kind of loss-leading campaigns you see in places like Ohio or Colorado. Lines are still solid, but at these rates operators must manage hold percentages more tightly to protect margins.

Unlike New Jersey, Massachusetts, or Oregon, Pennsylvania imposes no restrictions on betting on local colleges.

If you want action on Penn State, Pitt, Villanova, Temple, Duquesne, or any other local program, the full board is open - spreads, props, futures, everything.

For a state with deep college fandom, this is a meaningful advantage over markets that treat in-state programs as off-limits.

PA is in the exclusive iGaming club alongside NJ, MI, CT, WV, and DE.

Every major operator runs online casinos here: DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, BetRivers, and multiple tribal-affiliated or niche brands.

Slots, table games, poker rooms, and live dealers are fully authorized - and digital casino gaming generates more tax revenue for the state than sports betting many times over.

Sports betting is seasonal; online casino isn’t.

Pennsylvania online casinos have routinely posted $150–$200 million+ in monthly revenue, often tripling or quadrupling sportsbook revenue in the same period.

For players, that means operators pour more investment into online casino software, loyalty programs, game selection, and app features - because that’s where the long-term money is.

Even in a state with full real-money iGaming, sweepstakes platforms still operate because they’re governed by federal promotional law, not the PGCB.

For players, that creates an alternative lane with softer pricing, different game formats, and casino-style experiences that don’t require a deposit to participate.

Massachusetts was one of the first states to formally regulate daily fantasy sports, creating a structured framework back in 2016 that still anchors the market today. DraftKings (founded in Boston), FanDuel, and other major platforms operate traditional DFS contests openly and without ambiguity.

Pick ’Em operators never left the state, but they did have to change. When regulators made it clear that “vs. the house” prop-card products drifted too close to sports betting, operators adjusted by shifting into peer-based or pooled fantasy models that rely on skill rather than house-backed outcomes.

Pennsylvania blocks sportsbooks from posting election markets, award shows, draft results, or entertainment props.

Prediction markets, however, operate on federal commodities rules, letting PA residents trade on elections, economic outcomes, cultural trends, and macro events.

It’s the only legal way to bet on real-world outcomes the sportsbooks can’t touch.