Parx Casino currently offers one of the largest monetary caps on its welcome bonus of any online casino operator in the Commonwealth: a 100% match up to $500. That means players can start out on a high note, with as much as $1,000 in their accounts, while only risking $500. Out of Pennsylvania's 12 casinos, Parx Casino in Bensalem had the highest slots payback percentage in July with 91.1 percent, followed by Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia with 90.56. There are two casino resorts, four standalone casinos, and six racetracks with slot machines in Pennsylvania. The largest casino in Pennsylvania is Parx Casino with 3,238 gaming machines during the last week of January 2020. The second-largest casino is Wind Creek Bethlehem with 3,046 gaming machines during the last week of January 2020. The slot parlor, Plainridge Park Casino, a harness racing track located about 40 miles southwest of Boston, opened June 24, 2015. The first resort-casino license in Region B (Western Massachusetts) was awarded to MGM Resorts and their $1.3 billion casino, MGM Springfield, opened August 24, 2018.
Pennsylvania slot machine casino gambling consists of twelve casinos of which six are pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines, four are standalone casinos, and two are casino resorts.
Pennsylvania has both minimum and maximum theoretical payout limits. Return statistics are publicly available online.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
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The minimum legal gambling age in Pennsylvania depends upon the gambling activity:
In 2004, the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act passed. This Act legalized slot machines at fourteen locations. Of these locations, gaming licenses have yet to be issued for a standalone casino and a pari-mutuel racetrack with slot machines.
Since July 2010, table games are in Pennsylvania casinos.
In October 2017, the state legislature legalized casino gambling at truck stops, airports, and online. This bill also authorized ten new satellite casinos with location restrictions.
Casino operators may operate a gambling parlor at any of Pennsylvania’s international and regional airports, assuming successful agreements with the airport authority. None have yet opened, but expected in 2020.
To gamble within a casino resort, players must be a guest there. Put another way, the gaming floors within the casino resorts are not open to the public.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
It is legal to own a slot machine privately in the state of Pennsylvania if it is 25 years old or older.
The state gaming commission is the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). The PGCB is responsible for overseeing slot machines and casino gambling in the state.
Two different state gaming commissions are each responsible for the state lottery and charitable gaming.
There are two casino resorts, four standalone casinos, and six racetracks with slot machines in Pennsylvania.
The largest casino in Pennsylvania is Parx Casino with 3,238 gaming machines during the last week of January 2020.
The second-largest casino is Wind Creek Bethlehem with 3,046 gaming machines during the last week of January 2020.
The two casino resorts in Pennsylvania are:
The four standalone casinos in Pennsylvania are:
The six pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines in Pennsylvania are:
Pennsylvania has no federally-recognized American Indian tribes. Therefore, Pennsylvania has no tribal casinos as allowed by the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1989.
However, Pennsylvania is one of the few U.S. states with commercial casinos owned and operated by an American Indian tribe:
As an alternative to enjoying Pennsylvania slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Pennsylvania is:
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Pennsylvania.
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Pennsylvania? If so, join our new Pennsylvania slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Pennsylvania. Join us!
The theoretical payout minimum for slot machines in Pennsylvania is 85%. Further, the maximum theoretical payout limit may not equal or exceed 100%. Both limits apply to each single play.
The PGCB makes monthly return statistics publicly available for Fiscal Year 2019/2020 for each gaming facility. To calculate player win%, divide payouts by wagers provided in each report.
For February 2020, the player win% at slots for each casino and statewide were:
For February 2020, the highest player win% went to Rivers Philadelphia at 90.49%, followed closely by Parx and Mount Airy. The lowest player win% went to Nemacolin at 89.18% followed closely by Hollywood Penn National and Presque Isle.
Pennsylvania slot machine casino gambling consists of two casino resorts, four standalone casinos, and six racetracks with slot machines. Other locations should still open in 2020.
The theoretical payout limits are a minimum of 85% and a maximum of up to 100%. Monthly return statistics by casino are available online from the state gaming control board.
In the last year, the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem became Wind Creek Bethlehem, acquired by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians through their Wind Creek Hospitality corporation for $1.3 billion.
Otherwise, there have been numerous casino name changes including:
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC