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Michigan Online Gambling Launch Dates

• Online Casinos: Launch Date January 22, 2021
• Online Sports Betting: Launch Date January 22, 2021
• Online Poker: Launch Date January 29, 2021

Michigan’s gambling bills legalized online sports betting as well as online casino games and poker. Michigan is the fifth state to legalize all three, joining New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. By the start of February 2021, 10 online casino apps launched in Michigan.

House Bill 4916 legalized sports betting, both retail and online, in the state. House Bill 4311 authorizes online casinos and poker rooms. House Bill 4308 formally legalized Daily Fantasy Sports in the Great Lakes State.

These new online platforms are certain to boost Michigan’s gambling economy. House Bill 4311 also legalized retail sportsbooks, which have already launched at some of the state’s 26 land-based casinos.

When the plans put forth by HB 4311 reach full maturity, the selection of online gambling options in the state will rival even the biggest US online gambling markets, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Michigan Online Casinos

• Golden Nugget Online Casino
• FanDuel Casino Michigan
• BetRivers Michigan
• BetMGM Michigan
• DraftKings Casino Michigan
• William Hill Casino
• WynnBet Casino
• TwinSpires Casino (formerly BetAmerica)
• Stars Casino by Poker Stars
• Barstool Casino

Best Michigan Online Casino Bonuses

Golden Nugget Michigan

Golden Nugget launched an online casino through its partnership with Ojibwa Casino. The property is operated by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.

Golden Nugget is a renowned iGaming brand, especially in New Jersey. Michigan players can look forward to an ever-expanding game selection at Golden Nugget Michigan.

FanDuel Michigan

Motor City Casino chose FanDuel as the technology partner for its upcoming legal online casino platform. FanDuel’s growth from a fantasy sports brand to a multi-faceted iGaming company includes the introduction of the FanDuel Casino platform in multiple states.

FanDuel Casino launched in Michigan on Jan. 22, 2021. The casino welcomes new players with a risk-free day bonus up to $200.

BetRivers Michigan

Rush Street Interactive’s portfolio of iGaming products includes the BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse brands. Those brands continue to expand in the legal US online gaming industry, with the capability of offering the full gamut of mobile gambling products. Michigan’s Little River Casino partners with Rush Street Interactive in its iGaming offerings.

BetRivers launched an integrated online casino and sportsbook platform in Michigan on Jan. 22, 2021. The BetRivers MI welcome bonus includes a 100% deposit match up to $250, with just a 1x playthrough requirement.

BetMGM Online Casino

The Roar Digital brand operates as a partnership between MGM Resorts International and British sports betting technology powerhouse GVC Holdings.

This collaboration of major players in the gaming industry powers the BetMGM online gambling platforms already operating in several US states. Retail property MGM Grand Detroit launched a BetMGM platform for its online casino offering in Michigan on Jan. 22, 2021.

BetMGM also recently partnered with Evolution Gaming. The companies plan to launch live dealer games as part of a robust online casino offering in Michigan. New players at BetMGM can enjoy a 100% deposit match bonus up to $1,000, plus $25 on the house.

DraftKings Michigan

Although most known for its online sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports offerings, DraftKings also operates one of Michigan’s most exciting online casinos. DraftKings license partnership with Bay Mills Resort & Casinos includes online casino gaming, online sports betting, and retail sports betting.

Michigan players can sign up for a new account at DraftKings Casino and get a 100% deposit match bonus up to $1,500, as well as $10 in free betting credits.

Additional Michigan Online Casinos

William Hill

One of the world’s biggest iGaming brands, William Hill’s reputation as a powerhouse in the US sports betting industry is unrivaled.

As legal online gambling in the US expands, William Hill continues to extend its online casino and sports betting platforms into new territories.

William Hill’s foray into Michigan comes as a product of a partnership with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. The tribe owns the Leelanau Sands Casino and the Turtle Creek Hotel & Casino.

William Hill launched a hybrid sports betting and casino app in Michigan on January 22, 2021. Signing up at William Hill Casino Michigan yields 24 hours of risk-free playing up to $100 as a welcome bonus.

WynnBet Casino

The Salut Tribe of Chippewa Indians inked a partnership with iGaming company GAN to offer online gambling to Michigan players. This means Michigan players can access the WynnBet Casino in Michigan.

GAN software powers other legal US online gambling platforms like Betfair Casino New Jersey, one of the top revenue-earning iGaming skins in the US market. The Salut Tribe of Chippewa Indians operates the Kewadin Casino brand, which includes five retail properties.

WynnBet MI launched as an integrated online sportsbook and casino on January 22, 2021. New players can get 250 free spins on the Divine Fortune progressive slot by depositing and playing at least $250 on slots.

TwinSpires

TwinSpires (owned by Churchill Downs) operates in Michigan by way of a partnership with the Hannahville Indian Community, which owns and operates Island Resort & Casino in Harris,

The TwinSpires online casino and sportsbook platform went live in Michigan on Jan. 22, 2021. New players can enjoy up to $500 of risk-free play in their first week after depositing at TwinSpires MI Casino.

Stars Casino By PokerStars

The world’s biggest online gambling brand, The Stars Group, expands into Michigan through a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indian Gaming Authority.

The tribe owns two casinos, Odawa Casino Mackinaw and Odawa Casino Petoskey. The Stars Group already operates a PokerStars-branded online casino in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

In Michigan, The Stars Group launched its FOX Bet Sportsbook, PokerStars poker app, and Stars Casino all on the same day.

Barstool Casino

One of the biggest name on sports on the internet, Barstool Sports launched its sportsbook during 2020. As part of its intensive growth plans, Barstool plans to launch almost a dozen sportsbooks in states around the US. Its Barstool Casino launched on February 1, 2021. It will be interesting to see if Michigan sports bettors flock to the casino app in the same way as Golden Nugget or BetMGM, more established casino industry brands.

Additional Casinos Launching Later In 2021

PointsBet

In addition to expanding its sports betting presence in the US, Australian company PointsBet is bringing its online casino project to Michigan. They partnered with the Lac Vieux Desert Public Enterprise and Finance Commission under the license of Northern Waters Casino Resort.

FireKeepers Online Casino

FireKeepers Casino entered into a partnership with proven iGaming brand Scientific Games for the tribal casino’s upcoming online gaming platforms.

Scientific Games’ interactive gaming partners include Golden Nugget Casino New Jersey, Caesars Interactive, Rush Street Interactive, and numerous others in the US industry.

What Online Casino Bonuses Are Available In Michigan?

Michigan’s legal online casino sites launched with the first wave of products hitting the market on Jan. 22, 2021. Bonuses at the state’s mobile casinos look similar to what we’ve seen in other states.

Deposit Match Bonuses

Deposit match bonuses award bonus money based on the amount a player deposits. The most commonly offered bonus across US iGaming platforms, deposit match bonuses, give players a percentage of a deposit back as a bonus, up to a certain amount.

For example, Golden Nugget Casino Michigan offers a generous deposit match bonus for new players. Golden Nugget Casino players receive a 100% match bonus on deposits up to $1,000.

Using that offer, new players earn up to $1,000 in bonus money. Deposit match bonuses usually require a certain amount of playthrough to unlock the bonus.

Playthrough requires the player to wager a multiple of the deposit to unlock the full bonus. Playthrough requirements can range from 1x to 30x the deposit.

On most platforms, the match bonus is unlocked in smaller increments as players advance through the playthrough requirement.

Risk-Free Days

Some online casinos extend the opportunity of a risk-free day for players to try out the platform. A risk-free day offers a rebate on losses up to a certain amount.

The risk-free day period generally gives players a 24-hour window after the first deposit.

At FanDuel Casino MI, for example, new players are eligible for a risk-free day up to $200. Using this offer, the casino refunds new players up to $200 in losses in the first 24 hours after depositing.

Free Sign-Up Bonuses

Many mobile casino platforms offer free wagering funds just for signing up. No deposit is necessary for these bonuses.

At BetMGM Michigan, for instance, new players get $25 in betting credits just for signing up. The $25 is issued as casino credit and must be wagered on the platform before it can be withdrawn as real money.

How To Deposit At Michigan’s Online Casinos

ACH/eCheck

Across all US legal online gambling sites, ACH/eCheck is the most universally accepted deposit method. An eCheck deposit uses an online bank account to draft an electronic check, which then goes through an Automatic Clearing House (ACH) for processing.

ACH/eCheck deposits instantly become available on a player’s online casino balance once they’re processed.

Prepaid Cards

The prepaid card option isn’t as widely available as ACH/eCheck. On the platforms that offer prepaid card deposits, however, this method is one of the fastest and most reliable ways to get funds into an online casino balance.

Certain online casino platforms offer prepaid cards directly. Players load money onto cards with money from a debit or credit card. From there, the funds are immediately available for use at the casino.

Once loaded, the casino mails a physical version of the prepaid card to the player within 7-10 days. There’s no need to wait for the physical card to show up to start playing, however. The prepaid card is ready for use as soon as funds are loaded.

PayPal

PayPal offers one of the most reliable and widely accepted methods for getting money onto a legal online gambling site.

The process takes extra verification steps compared to other deposit methods but yields an almost 100% acceptance rate. Players 21 and over with a valid US PayPal account have access to this deposit method.

Debit Cards

Debit cards are another widely offered deposit method at US legal online casinos. The biggest concern about debit card deposits is a relatively high rejection rate from issuing banks.

When a debit card deposit does make it through, the funds are instantly available for play at the online casino.

eWallet

Skrill and Neteller are a couple of the eWallet options accepted for deposits at some legal mobile gambling sites. These methods do come with fees, however, generally around 3% per deposit.

Casino Cage Deposit

Visiting the land-based casino that operates a given online platform is another way to register for an account, and deposit funds, at a legal mobile casino.

Do Michigan Online Casinos Offer Live Dealer Games?

Michigan’s legal online casinos will likely offer live dealer games at some point, although none of the eight casinos going live on Jan. 22 had live dealer games on the menu.

Live dealer games allow players to interact with a physical table, and a human dealer, with real-life games, streamed from a secure studio.

BetMGM and Evolution have inked a deal to provide live dealer games in Michigan. So far, this is the most high-profile deal of its kind in the state, though more will almost certainly follow.

Blackjack

Live dealer Blackjack offers online players the social experience of live blackjack, with the convenience of the mobile gaming experience.

These games play virtually exactly like a live blackjack game at a land-based casino. A human dealer deals the cards at a physical table. Online players interact with both the dealer and other players.

Roulette

Many of the variants of roulette found at a land-based casino can be played as live dealer games on legal online casino sites as well.

Live dealer versions of American and European Roulette play exactly like they do in a live setting. The only difference is that players can participate from the comfort of a mobile device or desktop at home.

Other Games

Baccarat and casino table games like Casino Hold’em and Three Card Poker are offered as live dealer games at many legal online casinos. These games play exactly as they do at a retail casino.

Progressive Jackpots At Michigan’s Online Casinos

Michigan’s online casinos include enticing progressive jackpot slots. The following list includes some of the most popular progressive slots offered in the state:

Divine Fortune

Divine Fortune sits at the top of the list of most popular progressive online slots in the US. This slot is found at numerous online casinos in Michigan.

The Divine Fortune Mega Jackpot can reach totals of more than $300,000.

The Big One

The Big One network of progressive jackpot slots resides exclusively at BetMGM Michigan.

This collection of slots operate as different games, linked to the same progressive grand prize. That grand prize jackpot started at six figures when BetMGM launched in Michigan.

Big One progressive jackpot titles include MGM Grand Millions, Loot’en Khamun, and Book of Myths.

Online Casinos Come To Michigan

Numerous US states are jumping into the pool when it comes to online sports betting, but Michigan is just one of five states to legalize online casinos. With the passage of HB 4311, Michigan now joins Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia as a state with legal, regulated online casinos. West Virginia launched its online casinos in 2020, and Michigan debuted its mobile casino platforms in January 2021.

Current Tribal Casino Landscape

Like those other states, Michigan’s land-based casinos operate the legal online casino sites. The retail casino industry in Michigan, however, has a different makeup than the other states.

Out of 26 total casinos in the state, 23 are tribal casinos. House Bill 4311 allows for all state casino ownership groups, both tribal and commercial, to apply for online gaming licenses.

The language of the bill contains a unique provision. It provides that at least one commercial and one tribal casino must be licensed to offer interactive gaming (iGaming) for any of the state’s casinos to offer iGaming. This provision is in place to ensure a competitive balance between tribal and commercial casinos.

Michigan Aims For NJ-Style Success

New Jersey is the benchmark state for US online casino gaming performance. After all, it was the first state to legalize and launch online casinos. By far the largest US market, New Jersey’s online casino industry has generated nearly $1.46 billion in revenue since the launch of the state’s first online casinos in December 2013.

Michigan’s online casinos launched with full lineups of classic casino games. This includes blackjack, roulette, craps, slots, video poker, and casino table games.

Live dealer games, which allow online players to interact with a live dealer and other players, are popular in New Jersey. BetMGM and Evolution gaming recently partnered to launch live dealer games in Michigan. Michigan’s online casinos don’t include live dealer games yet, but they will at some point.

The convenience of playing from home or anywhere within the state makes online casino gaming a hit in New Jersey. The same is true in Pennsylvania’s emerging market.

The ability to deposit, withdraw, and play a wide variety of casino games on a mobile phone or desktop computer has led to the growing popularity of the market in states where mobile casinos legally operate. Michigan looks staged to replicate this success as a state that has legalized online gambling in almost every form.

Who Could Be Big Players In Michigan?

Michigan’s online gambling legalization drew the biggest names in the industry to the Wolverine State. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Golden Nugget, BetRivers, and other big-name brands all launched mobile casino apps in January 2021,

Michigan Online Gambling Options: The Run-Down

Real Money Online Casinos

The massive gambling expansion outlined in HB 4311 includes the legalization of online casinos.

Michigan is one of only five states to legalize online casino gaming, along with New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia.

Michigan hopes to see its mobile casino market catch on and grow in a similar fashion to Pennsylvania, another newcomer to the online casino industry. Pennsylvania’s online casinos earned a record $19.5 million in revenue in February 2020, growing nearly 40 percent over the previous month.

In a state that hosts 23 tribal and three commercial casinos, the launch of casino iGaming should give a welcome boost to the Michigan economy.

Online Sports Betting

House Bill 4916, aka the Lawful Sports Betting Act, brings a new era of sports betting to Michigan, both retail and online. With a population of 10 million and a deep tradition of both college and professional sports, the Michigan sports betting market looks to be poised for success.

Much like several other states with legal sports betting, the industry’s biggest brands operate in Michigan. These brands offer sports betting platforms through partnerships with retail casinos in the state.

Brands like FanDuel Sportsbook, FOX Bet, William Hill, BetMGM, and PointsBet have partnerships in place with state casinos. Michigan bettors can expect to see mobile betting platforms from these companies at some point.

Michigan’s first wave of online sportsbooks debuted in January 2021.

See our Guide To Online Sportsbooks In Michigan.

Online Poker

While the online sports betting industry booms in the US, legal online poker currently operates in just a few states. The December 2019 online gambling legislation passed in the Wolverine State put Michigan on the list of markets that to offer state-regulated online poker. The first online poker app, PokerStars, launched on January 29, 2021.

PokerStars’ parent company, The Stars Group operates as a license partner to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indian Gaming Authority. The tribe owns a pair of land-based casinos in Michigan.

Michigan’s online poker market should also see partypoker offering legal poker to Michigan players. Partypoker’s parent company, GVC Holdings, launched online gambling under the license of MGM Grand Detroit.

Michigan Online Lottery

Visit: Michigan Lottery

Michigan was one of the first states to implement online options for the state lottery. The Michigan Lottery started to offer online purchases in 2014.

With this option to play online in place, the Michigan Lottery realized record sales figures in both 2018 ($3.6 billion) and 2019 ($3.9 billion).

Michigan’s online lottery platform allows players to purchase entries for a wide variety of instant win and drawing games. The Michigan Lotto 47, an in-state drawing game, offers jackpots reaching well into seven figures.

Online purchases for multi-state lotteries like MegaMillions and Powerball are also at the disposal of Michigan players. Michigan Lottery can be played online on both desktop and mobile apps for iOS and Android.

History Of Michigan Lottery

In May 1972, Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment to introduce a state lottery. Public Act 239 was signed into law in August 1972, which formally legalized the lottery.

The first lottery tickets were made available to the public in November 1972. By the end of 1977, the Michigan Lottery offered a variety of games. This included instant win tickets and the Daily 3 drawing game.

In August 1996, Michigan, in collaboration with five other states, begins offering the Big Game. The Big Game was the first multi-state lottery to operate in the US.

The Big Game eventually evolved into MegaMillions. It is currently one of the two biggest multi-state lotteries in the US. MegaMillions now includes 45 states. Michigan also participates in Powerball, which is the other major national lottery games.

Michigan became one of the first states to implement online lottery ticket sales, which started in August 2014. The Michigan Lottery app offers purchases to almost every in-state instant win and drawing game, as well as MegaMillions and Powerball.

All profits from the Michigan Lottery go to the Michigan School Aid Fund. Since its inception in 1972, the Michigan Lottery has contributed more than $23.4 billion to the fund.

Check out our full Guide To The Michigan Online Lottery. Or, purchase tickets for the Michigan Lottery here.

Daily Fantasy Sports

The gambling-expansion bills signed by Gov. Whitmer included HB 4308, a bill that regulates paid fantasy sports.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) giants like FanDuel and DraftKings operated in Michigan for years without regulation. This practice is common in the US. FanDuel and DraftKings operate in about 40 states, with only around half of those states having explicit DFS regulations in place.

HB 4308 doesn’t change anything about the actual execution of fantasy sports sites. DFS operators can continue to offer their services. With the new legislation in place, DFS operators will be taxed by the state at the same rate (8.4 percent) as legal sportsbooks.

The bill set licensing fees for fantasy sports operators at a considerably lower rate than many other states. The intent is to allow smaller DFS brands to compete in the Michigan market.

Online Horse Racing

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) issued an order to legalize online horse race betting on May 6, 2020. Prior to the order, horse race wagering was limited to in-person betting at the state’s lone operating racetrack, Northville Downs.

No standalone off-track betting facilities operate in the state, but Northville Downs does offer simulcast race betting,

With the order from the MGCB in place, Michigan bettors can now enjoy access to legal wagering platforms like TwinSpires and BetAmerica. These mobile apps open up a new world of horse racing options for Michigan bettors, with the convenience of wagering from anywhere within state borders.

Sweepstakes Casinos

State-regulated online casinos are up and running in Michigan. Additionally, sweepstakes sites like Chumba Casino are available to Michigan players and offer a variety of casino games.

Chumba Casino allows for players to purchase “Gold Coins” to be used for play-money games. Players receive an amount of “Sweeps Coins” as a gift that comes along with the Gold Coins packages.

Sweeps Coins can also be obtained for free through various offers. Gold Coins games and Sweeps Coins games both offer a variety of classic casino staples like slots, roulette, blackjack, and casino table games.

Best Sweepstakes Sites In Michigan

• Chumba Casino
• LuckyLand Slots
• Funzpoints

Sweepstakes Poker Sites

Chumba Casino also operates Global Poker, the largest sweepstakes poker site available to US players. Like Chumba Casino, the games on Global Poker are mini-sweepstakes games.

Players purchase “Gold Coins” packages for play-money poker games. Those packages award an amount of “Sweeps Coins” that come along with the Gold Coins purchase. Players can also receive Sweeps Coins as a free gift through various offers from Global Poker.

Like Chumba Casino, players can redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes. Sweeps Coins are never available for direct purchase. They can only be obtained as a gift with Gold Coins purchases or by special free offers.

Legal Versus Illegal Online Casinos

The US legal online casino industry is just beginning to take shape. Michigan joins a list of just a handful of states offering legal, state-regulated online casino gaming.

With Michigan’s legal mobile casinos going live, players in the state enjoy access to a virtual casino landscape that’s owned and operated by Michigan’s retail casinos.

Michigan Online Casino Regulations

The National Indian Gaming Commission regulates Michigan’s tribal casinos. The Michigan Gaming Control Board provides oversight of the state’s commercial casinos. These agencies ensure that the casinos in their respective jurisdiction operate with transparency and accountability.

Tribal and commercial casinos in Michigan conduct business as part of multi-billion-dollar industries. Both the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Michigan Gaming Control Board have a vested interest in fair games and player safety for customers of Michigan’s casinos.

Michigan’s regulated tribal and commercial casinos own and operate the state’s online casinos. As such, playing at a legal, state-regulated online casino platform in Michigan presents the same level of security as playing at a legal retail casino in the state.

Risks To Offshore Betting

Offshore casinos operate illegally in the US. These platforms are not subject to the same regulations as legal online casinos.

Playing at an offshore casino can be a riskier proposition than playing at a state-regulated casino. Players that visit offshore online casinos do so at their own risk.

Timeline For Legal Gambling In Michigan

• 1933 – The first form of legalized gambling became available in the form of pari-mutuel horse race betting. The Racing Act of 1933 legalized pari-mutuel betting on races. It also created the Office of Racing Commissioner to oversee the new industry.
• 1972 – Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment permitting a state lottery. Then Gov. William Milliken signed Public Act 239 into law later that same year. By the end of 1972, the newly created Michigan Lottery offered the first games.
• 1984 – Tribal casinos launched in Michigan. Fred Dakota, a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Tribe, challenged the state’s legal right to regulate gambling on tribal lands. Dakota opened a casino called “The Pines” in January 1984. The casino consisted of a single blackjack table in Dakota’s garage. Later in 1984, large-scale tribal casinos started to operate. The Bay Mills Indian Band opened Kings Casino Club, the first tribally owned casino in the US. By the end of 1985, multiple tribal properties started to offer casino gaming.
• 1996 – Michigan, along with five other states, started to offer tickets for the Big Game, the first multi-state lottery in the US. The Big Game eventually evolved into what is now known as MegaMillions, involving 45 US. states.
• 1997 – The Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act was signed into law. State voters passed the bill, originally called Proposal E, in November 1996. The bill permitted the construction of three commercial casinos in Detroit. The MGM Grand Detroit and MotorCity Casino Hotel both opened in 1999. The Greektown Casino-Hotel opened in 2000.
• 2014 – Online sales for the Michigan Lottery began in November. This made instant win games available for purchase online. Tickets for in-state and multi-state drawing games started online in January 2016.
• 2018 – Both the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives passed a bill to legalize online gambling. The bill only needed a signature from then-Governor Rick Snyder to go into law. Snyder instead vetoed the bill just days before his gubernatorial term ends.
• 2019 – A package of bills that included legislation to legalize sports betting (both retail and online), online casinos, and online poker passed the state Senate and House. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed these bills into law in December. The passage set the foundation for significant gambling expansion in the state.
• 2020 – The first of Michigan’s legal retail sportsbooks went live in March, but only briefly. The COVID-19 pandemic forced nationwide shutdowns of casinos just days later.
• 2020 – Online horse race betting legalized by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
• 2021 – Michigan’s legal online sportsbooks and casinos go live. Ten online sportsbooks and eight online casinos launch on Jan. 22, 2021.

Recent History Of Michigan Online Gambling

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The state first approved and regulated online lottery as the first form of online gambling in Michigan. The Michigan Lottery started to offer online purchases of instant win game tickets in November 2014. In January 2016, Michigan Lottery added options to buy tickets for in-state and national drawing games as well.

Pro-gambling lawmakers, led by former Michigan State Representative Robert Kosowski, began to advance the narrative for legalized sports betting in 2015. In 2017, State Representative Brandt Iden drafted a Lawful Internet Gaming Act bill. The bill was designed to legalize internet-based sports betting if the then-effective federal ban on sports betting was ever overturned.

By 2018, the prospects of legal online gambling in Michigan began to gain serious momentum. A package of bills outlining the legalization of online casino games, retail and online sports betting, and online poker made it through both the state House and Senate.

Overcoming The Veto Hurdle

The bills faced one final hurdle. Then Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed the bills instead of signing them into law. This happened just days before his term as governor ended. Snyder vetoed the gaming bills in December 2018, which pushed Michigan back to square one.

Governor Whitmer took over in the governor’s office the following January. With Whitmer in office, 2019 proved to be a landmark year in the advancement of Michigan’s iGaming initiatives. A package of internet gaming bills, similar to 2018, once again made it through the state House and Senate.

These gaming bills made it to the governor’s desk for the second consecutive year. This time, they received the required signatures from Gov. Whitmer.

The bill’s package included HB 4311, which legalized online sports betting, casino games, and poker in Michigan. Michigan is now one of five states in which all three of those gaming verticals are legal.

Operators in all three areas can launch iGaming platforms via license partnerships with Michigan’s retail casinos. The Michigan Gaming Control Board approved 15 different iGaming operators in December 2020.

Legal online gambling platforms launched in Michigan on Jan. 22, 2021.

History Of Live Gambling In Michigan

Pari-mutuel horse race wagering was the first form of legal gambling in Michigan. The Racing Act of 1933 legalized betting on horse races. The state’s first legal wagers took place in September 1933.

The state established the Michigan Lottery in 1972. This introduced instant win and drawing games to the state.

In 1984, a single individual in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Tribe took the first step for what would eventually become a robust live casino industry in the state. Fred Dakota challenged the state’s stance toward regulated gambling on tribal lands by operating a single blackjack table in his garage.

Other tribal gaming interests soon followed suit. Kings Club Casino became the first tribally owned casino in the US, opening later in 1984. Michigan’s casino industry has grown to include 23 tribal casinos.

The 1997 Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act authorized the construction of three Detroit-area commercial casinos. All three of those properties started to operate by 2000. As of 2020, Michigan is home to a total of 26 casinos.

Michigan Live Gambling At A Glance

Casinos In Michigan

Michigan is home to 26 casinos, with 23 tribal casinos situated throughout the state, as well as three commercial casinos in Detroit.

Players can find tribal casinos all over the Michigan map. There are 12 in the Lower Peninsula and the other 11 in the Upper Peninsula. Kings Club Casino, located in the Upper Peninsula’s Bay Mills Township, was the first tribally owned casino to open in the US. It started operations in 1984.

Michigan Casino Locations

Tribal Casinos In Michigan

The opening of the Kings Club Casino by the Bay Mills Indian Band was just the beginning of a long history of tribal gaming in Michigan. Five more tribal casinos opened by the end of 1985.

At the time, these tribal casinos operated in a legal grey area. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 1987 that Native American tribes could legally operate on tribal lands. In 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act further defined the legal relationship between tribal gaming industries and state regulatory agencies.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act required Michigan’s tribal casinos to enter a state compact. The Act provided that tribes retained exclusive rights to operate casino gaming throughout the entire state. This included off-reservation lands.

The compact required the tribes to pay 10 percent of revenue from video gambling machines to the state. As of 2021, the industry has grown to include 23 tribal casinos.

Commercial Casinos In Michigan

The 1997 passage of the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act authorized the construction of three commercial casinos in Detroit. This bill negates parts of the state compact, as tribal interests no longer held exclusive rights to operate casinos in the state. The tribal casinos were also no longer required to pay the 10 percent “tax” on video gaming profits.

All three of the proposed Detroit-area casinos opened in 1999 and 2000. The MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino Hotel, and Greektown Casino-Hotel are still in business as of 2020.

These three casinos realized all-time highs in combined revenue for both 2018 ($1.44 billion) and 2019 ($1.45 billion).

Michigan’s tribal casinos are owned and operated by 12 different Native American tribes. Of the commercial casinos, MGM Resorts International owns the MGM Grand. IH Gaming owns the MotorCity Casino Hotel. Penn National Gaming operates Vici Properties, which in turn owns Greektown Casino.

Other Reading On Michigan Gambling

Michigan Online Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Yes. Michigan is home to 23 tribal and three commercial casinos, all of which legally offer gambling in the state.

Michigan was one of the first states to introduce tribally owned casinos. These properties can be found throughout the state. The state authorizes tribal casinos to operate anywhere in the state, including on non-reservation lands.

Michigan’s three commercial casinos are all located in Detroit.

18 at some casinos, 19 or 21 at others. Michigan’s tribal casinos can individually set the minimum gambling age at their respective properties. Depending on the casino, this age can be 18, 19, or 21.

The minimum age to gamble at the three Detroit commercial casinos is 21. For horse racing and lottery, the minimum age is 18.

All online gambling platforms mandate a minimum age of 21, including those licensed to tribal casinos.

Live Casino Online Gambling

Yes, on gambling winnings of $5,000 or more. Federal laws require a 25 percent tax to be paid on all gambling wins of $5,000 or more.

For proper tax reporting, the casino will require paperwork for any players winning $5,000 or more. If a player provides a social security number, the casino withholds 25 percent. If the SSN is not provided, the casino withholds 28 percent.

The state tax rate of 4.25 percent also applies to winnings of more than $5,000. It is the player’s responsibility to report winnings to the state.

Yes. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed off on a package of bills in December 2019 that legalized online sports betting, casino games, and poker. Michigan’s online gambling platforms launched on January 22, 2021.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board regulates the state’s land-based tribal and commercial casinos. The land-based casinos operate all legal online gambling sites.

Michigan legalized online horse race betting in May 2020. TwinSpires and BetAmerica online wagering sites now operate legally in Michigan. The Michigan Lottery also offers online purchases for tickets.

No, apart from the online lottery. Michigan’s online gambling platforms allow any players within state borders who are of legal gambling age to play.

Purchasing online tickets for the Michigan Lottery is different. Players must be located in Michigan and be able to provide proof of residency.

Yes. In 2019, Gov. Whitmer signed off on a package of bills that legalized sports betting, both online and retail.

Michigan’s tribal and commercial casinos are eligible to apply for licenses and to launch online sportsbooks in the state. The first 10 of Michigan’s mobile sportsbooks launched in January 2021.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) and the National Indian Gaming Commission. The MGCB, a government agency, regulates commercial casinos in the state.

The National Indian Gaming Commission oversees tribal casino operations. Both of these agencies take part in the overall regulation of Michigan’s online gambling industry.

A variety of options should be available for players to deposit and withdraw when Michigan’s online gambling platforms launch. This includes ACH/eCheck, credit/debit cards, prepaid cards, casino cage deposit, PayPal, eWallets, and wire transfers.

These are the most common ways to deposit and withdraw in other states that offer legal online gambling.

Yes. DraftKings Casino is partnered with Bay Mills to offer online sports betting and an online casino as well.

The DraftKings Casino homepage displays a map of all states in which it legally operates. The platform’s geolocation software will not allow for players outside of these states to play.

Yes. FanDuel Casino operates in Michigan under the license of MotorCity Casino Hotel, one of three Detroit-area commercial casinos in the state. They also operate a retail sportsbook at MotorCity Casino in Detroit.

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.

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

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.

Live Casino Gambling Videos With Slots

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.

Maryland Live Casino Online Gambling

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.

Live Casino Gambling

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.

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.