iGaming coming to PA in July, online wagering weeks away

Online gaming will go live in Pennsylvania from July 15, while the state’s first online sports betting offering set to launch within three weeks, the state’s Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has revealed. The start date for online gaming was confirmed by executive director Kevin O’Toole at a PGCB held yesterday (March 17). O’Toole said that the date had been set after the regulator’s staff had reviewed the estimated time required for the PGCB and operators to complete all necessary pre-launch requirements, and decided that 90 days would be sufficient. The state’s 10 igaming certificate holders and three online gaming operators have therefore been informed that a coordinated roll-out will begin from July 15. The launch will bring online poker, slots and table games to Pennsylvania, with seven casinos licensed to offer all three products, and ten approved to offer slots and table games. A licence for each product costs $4m (£3.1m/€3.6m), though those that applied for all three pay a discounted rate of $10m. Only two of the state’s 13 casinos have not applied for licences.  Pennsylvania is also just weeks away from launching online wagering, with one of the approved casino operators expected to begin live testing in the next two to three weeks, according to a PGCB spokesperson. At this stage, it is unknown which operator is closing in on its online launch, and whether any of the other seven operators that have launched retail wagering are in a position to follow. The state’s retail wagering market posted its strongest month to date in March, with revenue up 183.5% month-on-month to $5.5m (£4.2m/€4.9m), and handle up 41% to $44.5m. Eight operators have launched to date, with Boyd Gaming’s Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia (on March 13) and Greenwood Gaming’s Valley Forge Race & Sportsbook (on March 14) the latest.