Pennsylvania Gambling Laws
For a regular citizen of the United States without a law degree, reading about the Pennsylvania gambling laws, and trying to figure out whether gambling is legal can be a daunting task. While several acts passed through federal courts such as the Federal Wire Act and Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act criminalize the facilitation of gambling, they also free the player of any legal obilgations which could lead to criminal prosecution. Because of this, many states add their own legislation to further muddy the legal status of gambling in the U.S.
Fortunately for residents of Pennsylvania who wish to pick up a responsible gambling hobby, their home state does not take action to further criminalize any gambling related activity. Still, when it comes to state laws, there will always be a nuance or two to work around, and even if Pennsylvania has some of the more relaxed policies towards gambling in the nation, it never pays to know all the ins and outs when it comes to your rights and responsibilities.
The Most Important Pennsylvania Gambling Laws. It is fifteen years already that Pennsylvania has legal and regulated land-based casinos. In 2004, the state finally passed a bill that was long-awaited and desired. The first fights for it were at the beginning of the ’90s and kept on for more than a decade. Back then, the main objections were. Pennsylvania gambling law allows each of the state’s land-based casinos to apply for licenses to offer slot machines, table games, poker and sports betting online. Each of these gambling licenses may be applied for individually, which means not all land-based casinos are.
The Legality of Gambling in Pennsylvania
Strangely enough, section 5513 subsection (a) of Pennsylvania law essentially only defines gambling as what other states and even Federal law would define as gambling “promotion,” or “advancement.” If found guilty of “gambling” as defined by Pennsylvania state law, a resident could be charged with a class A misdemeanor which could result in up to five years of jail time and a legal fine of up to $10,000. All residents of Pennsylvania should take special care to avoid these acts.
Pennsylvania's Definition of Gambling:
One can only be charged with “gambling” in Pennsylvania if they take actions that can lead to others gambling in what Pennsylvania law considers an unlawful place. In a legal document, the term “unlawful” applies to all things not specifically sanctioned by the law. Even though Pennsylvania law does not specifically say that it’s not legal to shoot dice in an alley for money, it is technically an “unlawful” act.
Essentially, only those who set up and organize gambling events not sanctioned by the state of Pennsylvania, or make their property available for doing so, would be guilty of gambling in Pennsylvania and therefore susceptible to criminal charges. Pennsylvania also specifically defines and criminalizes the act of “bookmaking,” which is maintaining a sportsbook with the intent of allowing other to bet and wager on sports.
Just so the law is clear, imagine a resident of Pennsylvania walks into an unlicensed poker game. If that residents pays his entry, sits at the table and begins betting with the chips he’s awarded, imagine that the police bust in at that moment. While the resident seated at the table playing the game would be safe from prosecution, the person or persons responsible for establishing and maintaining the illicit game would be arrested and tried for busting Pennsylvania gambling laws.
Betting Laws In Pennsylvania
Just as in federal law, the state of Pennsylvania does not say anything about the actual act of placing a bet or wager on a sport event, it is not the intent of Federal laws or the state laws to attack an otherwise honest citizen who merely wishes to place a bet. Instead, Pennsylvania attacks the problem by going after bookmakers and the facilitators of sports betting.
While there would be no legal trouble for a Pennsylvania resident caught placing a bet on sports, they would not want to be caught operating or profiting from a sportsbook within the state boundaries. However, pari-mutuel betting is completely legal in accordance with state policy.
There is one act that Pennsylvania state law provides a special exemption to for all definitions of gambling: pari-mutuel betting. Horse-racing, and betting on horse races, is intimately tied to the culture of Pennsylvania, and therefore gambling machines which allow the purchase of horse racing tickets are legal so long as they are at state licensed, regular race tracks. This allows all Pennsylvania residents to wager on horse racing which helps makes the Pennsylvania derby one of the most eagerly anticipated events every calendar year.
The State of Pennsylvania has no issue allowing its residents to gamble in licensed casinos, in fact, within Pennsylvania, casinos are fairly abundant as the state has issued 17 casino licenses, with more on the way.
The only possible trouble one who lives in Pennsylvania could find themselves in related to casino games if they are caught organizing roulette wheels or a game of blackjack within an unlicensed premises.
Good news for poker fans, of which considering the rapidly growing popularity of the game, there should be many. Poker in Pennsylvania is completely legal. Not only can residents play poker within the state, there are even more licensed poker rooms throughout the state then there are casinos, as they may also be attached to race tracks.
The only thing a resident of Pennsylvania needs to be careful not to do is set up a game in which they can profit from it without wagering, because that’s what takes them into “unlawful” territory. If a resident holds a private game in their home among friends, while they are perfectly within their rights to do so, they must be careful not to do anything that can be construed as profiting from the game. This can include charging admission for the privilege to play in the game or even collecting “rake,” which is a small percentage of each hand that is given to the house as profit.
Legal Gambling Age In Pennsylvania
Although the Pennsylvania gambling laws are fairly straightforward, one surefire way to complicate things unnecessarily is to gamble underage. The legal gambling age in Pennsylvania is 21, and it is strongly advised for all residents to adhere to this rule. If caught gambling underage, the guilty party will not only face legal fines, but whichever agency the guilty party has been caught gambling with will surely hand out some sort of ban, as well as seize all of their winnings. The plain truth of the matter is that some things are worth waiting for, and if for nothing other than avoiding the extra legal trouble that underage gambling brings with it, legal gambling is one of those things.
| General | Lottery | Casinos | Poker | Pari-Mutuel | Bingo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Where to Legally Gamble in Pennsylvania
On-Land: There are several legal land based options for gambling in Pennsylvania. Currently, there are 17 state licensed casinos within Pennsylvania’s borders, and even more counting independent race tracks and poker rooms. For the social gambler, there are many places to visit to gamble with others.
Still, in a state as big as Pennsylvania even 17 casinos can feel spread quite thin, making the drive to one inconvenient. Even for avid poker fans, even assuming there is an easily accessible poker room within a 30 minute drive, they may not offer all the custom options a poker player could want when sitting down to a game.
When it comes to land based gambling, the State of Pennsylvania is better outfitted than most, and any of these casinos could make for a great afternoon or even a weekend away. Those who want to gamble more conveniently or for smaller amounts of time more regularly may be actively seeking another option.
Online/Web-Based: Thanks to the advent of legal gambling sites, all the action of a great poker room, casino, or even sportsbook can be beamed right into your own home.
We have been rehashing this entire page about how a Pennsylvania resident cannot face any legal punishment for the act of gambling, but cannot go about organizing their own game, which could make finding a legal game to participate in more difficult, unless of course you feel like driving all the way out to a Pennsylvania casino, or, if you just so happen to have a reliable internet connection in your home.
Through the use of legal online gambling sites, many Pennsylvania residents are able to enjoy responsible hobbies of poker, casino games or even sports betting where, when and however they please. Although these sites are not licensed directly through the state of Pennsylvania, they are located overseas in countries with more relaxed policies towards gaming and certified by reputable international gaming commissions.
These means two things, firstly, since they are well outside of U.S. jurisdiction, there are no concerns over them being shut down, and since they operate legally in another territory, it means they are not only safe and legitimate businesses, but all of the gambling networks indexed on this page have been operating for years with pristine reputations. These sites can bring all the excitement of poker, blackjack, or sports betting right to their members’ own homes and they can do so without causing any concern over their legal status, or forcing players to worry about whether or not they will ever actually receive their winnings.
Best Legal Gambling Site For Pennsylvania Residents
Bovada - Everything From Casino Games To Sports Betting
Even amongst all the fantastic legal gambling sites for Pennsylvania residents, there is one that simply can’t be recommended highly enough. Deep from the heart of Canada, the Bovada online gambling network shows a deep commitment to offering not only the best product in the industry, but delivering the very best service to those who use it. Whether one is an existing or prospective member, the 24 hour customer service phone line at Bovada is always open to answer any questions, be they related to the comprehensive online casino, unparalleled online poker, complete and through sportsbook, or anywhere in between.
The best aspect of being a Bovada member is the ability members have to take their gambling network with them wherever they go. Through their innovative mobile site, access to this gambling site through any smart mobile device has never been easier. The intuitive layout makes firing up a quick game of poker or accessing live betting through during a sport event a total breeze, and being stuck in a waiting room will never feel quite the same again. With a Bovada account and a smartphone in your pocket, you may just as well always be in Vegas.
Other Recommended Pennsylvania Betting Sites
Legal Gambling In Pa
Pennsylvania Gaming Laws
Want More Info?...How To Get More Help
Pennsylvania Bingo Laws
We here at PennsylvaniaGamblingLaws.com are not lawyers. Although we are confident all the information on this page is accurate, this is only advice from passionate gamblers and cannot be considered a legal consult. If you or someone you know has real legal trouble related to gambling, they should contact a lawyer immediately.
Pa Lottery Laws
Additional resources include the state's own legislative website which has a searchable database of Pennsylvania state statutes. Much of the information supplied by this website comes directly from their books, however it has been translated from the 'legalese' commonly found when reading Pennsylvania gambling laws into language that is more understandable for the common person.