PA Casinos

What To Know About Pennsylvania?s Live Casino Industry

When you?re looking for some of the top gaming tables and slot machines, Pennsylvania is one of the places that can offer exactly that. In addition to gaming, some of the casinos are entertainment hubs. Here, you can enjoy dining, concerts, and other events while you aren?t on the gaming floor. These casinos are located across the state in various cities. Only one city, Philadelphia, has more than one casino within the city.

If you?re planning to do a bit of gambling while in the state, knowing what your options are can go a long way to help. We?ll be looking at the history of the casino industry and where casinos are located. You will also learn what to expect in terms of rules and regulations for the state. Check out what makes each casino unique with our brief reviews.

The Basics Of The PA Casino Industry

In Pennsylvania, there are currently 12 live casinos open with another one that is currently in the works. Four of these casinos are stand-alone. Tow locations are resorts, and the rest is a combination of race tracks and casinos. The casino that is under development will add another number to the stand-alone casinos in the state.?

This state also has a handful of mini-casinos available or in the works in Morgantown, York, Greensburg, Big Beaver, and Shippensburg. These locations are called satellite casinos. There were 10 licenses up for auction in 2018 and only five of the licenses were sold.

The live casinos in Pennsylvania are located in various cities with two in Philadelphia and one in each of the following areas:

  • Bensalem
  • Bethlehem
  • Chester
  • Erie
  • Farmington
  • Grantville
  • King of Prussia
  • Mount Pocono
  • North Strabane Township
  • Pittsburgh
  • Plains Township

Live Casinos Operating In Pennsylvania

As mentioned above, there are currently 12 live casinos open in Pennsylvania. To give you a better idea of what you can expect from them, we?ll give you some necessary information about each of them below:

Harrah?s Philadelphia

Harrah’s is a casino and racetrack that is located in Chester. Operated by Caesars, it is right on the waterfront. This casino has about 106,000 square feet of gaming space and a theme composed of racetracks, rivers, and carnivals. There are about 3,000 slot machines at the casino. There is also an event center, many restaurants and bars, and several retail stores.

This casino also has a 150 day live meet for harness racing from April through December. Races are run on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Harrah?s started testing sports betting in January 2019, with a grand opening on at the end of the month.?

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course

This is a casino and horse race track that is located in Grantville. The racetrack opened in 1972 and the casino was added in 2008. There are nearly 2,500 slot machines at the casino, along with over 50 table games. Some of the table games available include blackjack, four card poker, roulette, craps, and mini-baccarat.?

This casino was approved for sports betting in 2018. It started with a short two-day test before normal operations began. Hollywood Casino also has the distinction of being the first Pennsylvania casino to offer sports betting. It offers online gambling, including table games and slot machines, as well.

Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin

This resort is open in all seasons and located in Farmington. In addition to offering a live casino, it also offers 320 hotel rooms, several restaurants, and a professional golf course. The casino is owned by Maggie Hardy Magerko, although her father, Joseph Hardy, founded the resort and casino.

Lady Luck opened in 2013 under a Class 3 gaming license. This meant patrons needed to be customers of Nemacolin before gaining access to the casino floor. However, in 2019, Churchill Downs, Inc. purchased the operating business for the casino and paid to remove the access fee requirement, allowing anyone to enter the casino.

The Meadows Racetrack and Casino

Another racetrack and casino in Pennsylvania, the Meadows is located in North Strabane Township, which is around 25 miles from Pittsburgh. It offers both standardbred and harness racing and has been around, in one form or another, since 1963. Currently, Penn National Gaming owns the operations of the racetrack as part of a 2018 acquisition.

The casino portion of the Meadows broke ground in 2006 and opened in June 2007. It has a 350,000 square foot casino, cafes and restaurants, a simulcast viewing area, VIP boxes, and a 24-lane bowling center. There are also more than 3,300 slot machines at this casino. They also offer an online sportsbook and online casino through DraftKings PA.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

This is a racetrack and casino that can be found in Plains Township, which is just outside of Wilkes-Barre. It?s owned by Downs Racing, L.P., which is a Division of Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. It consists of a racetrack, has over 2,300 slots machines, and offers many table games like poker, blackjack, and roulette. Mohegan Sun also has a sports betting area available.

In 2019, Unibet launched online sports betting and gambling from the casino. Those who come to the live casino can enjoy dozens of restaurants, several retail establishments, and a food court. The casino also offers off-track wagering in Allentown, Carbondale, and East Stroudsburg.

Mount Airy Casino Resort

This casino includes a hotel and offers 163 rooms and suites for visitors. It is located in Mount Pocono in the Pocono Mountains. Some of the main attractions include the Mount Airy Golf Club, the Get Wet Ultra Pool, and the Gypsies Night Club and Lounge. It has a 62,000 square foot casino with over 1,800 slot machines and 70 table games, including roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

This hotel and casino offer many dining options, including buffets and fine dining, as well as choices for the nightlife. The establishment applied for its sports betting license in March 2019 and launched its live sportsbook in September. They also offer online poker through PokerStars PA.?

Parx Casino and Racing

This casino and racetrack are located in Bensalem Township, which is near northeastern Philadelphia. It offers 24-hour gaming with more than 3,200 slot machines, simulcast, and live racing action, and sports betting. There is 150,000 square feet of casino gaming space for gambling at more than 175 table games and a poker room with almost 50 tables.

It is home to the state?s two premier Thoroughbred races and was the location of the Pennsylvania State Fair from 1987 through 2006. The Parx Casino was approved in 2006 and unveiled on Independence Day in 2009.

Presque Isle Downs & Casino

Another casino owned by Churchill Downs, Inc. is this one located in Erie. Breaking ground for the facility began in 2005 and the casino opened in early 2007. This casino also boasts a thoroughbred racetrack for those who enjoy betting on horse races. It was the first track longer than a mile and also the first paved with Tapeta in the U.S.

There is about 48,000 square feet of gaming space at the casino, where visitors can play on more than 1,500 slot machines. This casino also offers nearly 10 restaurants, including everything from simple bars to cafes, steakhouses, and more.

Rivers Casino Philadelphia

This casino, which was formerly SugarHouse Casino, is a casino development located along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Rivers Casino has a contemporary, industrial theme and over 45,000 square feet of gaming space. Development started in late 2009, and the casino opened in September 2010.

This casino has more than 3,000 slot machines and 200 table games, along with a wide selection of dining, entertainment, and shopping options. The sportsbook area opened in 2019 and includes an H.D. video wall, several betting windows, and nearly two dozen self-serve betting kiosks.

Rivers Casino Pittsburgh

This casino in Pittsburgh is owned by Holdings Acquisition Co. L.P. and is located along the Ohio River near Heinz Field and the Carnegie Science Center. It started construction in late 2007 and opened in August 2009. The casino has more than 3,000 slot machines and over 100 table games, as well as a non-smoking poker room.

Sports betting became available at this casino in December 2018, while online sports betting started to take place in June 2019. You will find several sports to bet on, including basketball, baseball, boxing, football, and hockey.

Valley Forge Casino Resort

Located in Upper Merion Township outside of Philadelphia, this casino was constructed on the site of the Valley Forge Construction Center. It opened in 2012. Valley Forge is owned by Boyd Gaming and includes a hotel with nearly 500 rooms. It was the first in the state to be granted a Category 3 license. This type of license limits the number of slots and table games.

There are more than 850 slot machines at the casino, along with 50 table games that include roulette, pai gow, blackjack, three card poker, craps, mini-baccarat, and more. This casino also offers a rewards club program with two different levels and boasts six restaurants. Valley Forge also partners with FanDuel for their online casino.?

Wind Creek Bethlehem

This is a casino hotel that opened in 2009 in Bethlehem. Owned by Wind Creek Hospitality, it is an entity of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The hotel here has 302 rooms, while there are 139,000 square feet of gaming space. One of the most unique things about this casino is that it has the busiest motor coach business of all the casinos in the state.

The casino has more than 3,000 slot machines, 200 table games, and many electronic table games. In addition to gaming, the hotel-casino has more than a dozen restaurants. Enjoy several nightlife options and a selection of shopping destinations during your visit. An indoor shopping mall is what connects the hotel with the casino.

Legal Sports Betting In Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania offers legal sports betting in both live casinos and online sportsbooks. There are many different casinos that offer sports betting if you?re looking for something different than table games and slot machines.?

Some of the casinos that offer this kind of gambling include Hollywood Casino, Parx Casino, Rivers Casino, and Valley Forge Casino. The first Pennsylvania sports betting location was Hollywood Casino, managed by William Hill. William Hill is the largest sportsbook operator in the United States with locations in Las Vegas and New Jersey.

The state also offers online sports betting through the Internet and on mobile apps. In order to place a bet in Pennsylvania, you need to be at least 21 and located in the state. There are many ways to pay the stakes. Banking options include online banking, PayPal, prepaid cards, and wire transfers.