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Online poker returns to PA this month, what to expect?
After a long waiting of eight years since the Black Friday, online poker is returning to the PA state this month. In this article, we share all the details and our opinion as affiliates to Pennsylvanian poker players.
Online poker returns to Pennsylvania on July 15th, 2019
In November 2018, we shared "good" news about online gambling (including poker) legalization in Pennsylvania after long discussions both in House and Senate which ended with Governor Tom Wolf signing the bill.
A "GO LIVE" period for online gaming (ten iGaming Certificate Holders and three iGaming Operators) is coordinated for July 15th, 2019. On that day, all gambling sites (with an approved license and all infrastructure ready) will start offering their services to PA players.
In total, seven online poker rooms will open their doors that day:
| Casino | Poker partner |
|---|---|
Parx Casino via Greenwood Gaming | GAN/Kambi |
Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack via Chester Downs | 888 |
Mount Airy Casino Resort via Mount Airy #1 | PokerStars |
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course via Mountainview | IGT |
Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem via Sands Bethworks Gaming | TBD |
SugarHouse Casino via Sugarhouse HSP Gaming | Rush Street |
Valley Forge Casino Resort via Valley Forge | partypoker |
Three gambling sites desisted from launching an online poker room in the PA state:
- Live! Philadelphia Casino via Stadium Casino
- Presque Isle Downs Casino via Presque Isle Downs
- Mohegan Sun Pocono via Downs Racing
Let's remind that the PA gambling regulation doesn't include joining the existing shared pool of players with New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware, and the Pennsylvanian players are only allowed to play between themselves. Online poker will be taxed with a 16% rate, and it would be the highest tax rate in the US.
The last Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) meeting before the launching date is scheduled on July 10th, and more details as the deposit and withdrawals methods that will be accepted would become public.
What should Pennsylvanian regs expect from the new online poker market in this state?
Although we consider great news, the legalization of online poker, a closed pool of players and a high tax rate is not the idea we have in mind. This formula has proven not to be very successful, and for example, the online poker industry in New Jersey has seen its incomes reduced in the last years.
In June a federal judge rejected the DOJ Wire Act opinion and maybe in the future PA will join the shared liquidity with Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey; our advice as affiliates is to keep playing at most profitable rooms like Asian poker apps or US-facing networks like Chico or WPN.
Conclusion
Most likely the regs will keep playing at offshore poker rooms and will join PA legal poker rooms only for tournament series and maybe to take advantage of some welcome bonuses. Worldpokerdeals is ready to offer to Pennsylvanian regs amazing rakeback deals and access to private fields with soft lineups; contact our team to get advice about where to play online poker from the PA state after the gambling regulation.
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