Online poker is legal in Pennsylvania since 2017. PA players can access real money poker sites and play different games with poker players in the state.
Not only this is the largest poker site in the world, but PokerStars PA is also the place where you find the best poker apps to play from mobile and the largest number of online poker events. Apart from PA online poker, the bill also legalized interactive casino games, daily fantasy sports, and sports betting, making history in the process. How Legal Online Poker Sites Work in Pennsylvania. In order to start offering online poker in PA, software providers must enter a partnership with an established land-based casino.
PokerStars PA is the only legal PA poker site right now to play real money poker games online.
- The neighbouring state of Delaware has just legalized online Poker sites and as such the popularity of playing Poker online is spreading across the State Borders into Pennsylvania, and we are happy to let you know there are plenty of Poker sites that will allow you to sign up and play if you are living anywhere in Pennsylvania.
- Although PokerStars PA has enjoyed several months as the only real money online poker site in Pennsylvania, players in the state may well have more options soon. Harrah's is part of Caesars.
- WSOP PA Poker Games. All of the most popular poker games can be found on WSOP.com. Cash games are spread for No Limit Texas Hold 'em, Pot Limit Omaha, Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo and Seven Card Stud. The site also offers multi-table tournaments (MTTs) as well as Sit & Gos (SNG) including its lottery-style SNG game, Blast.
If you want to play (and secure a free $30 bonus to start with your first games) continue to this page.
On this page, you are going to learn:
- How to play online poker in Pennsylvania
- What are the best PA poker sites
- Why Pennsylvania gambling laws allow PokerStars to operate in PA
- Lots more
If you want to play the BEST online poker games in Pennsylvania, and you want to do so with the largest bonuses available to PA poker players, you'll love this new guide.
Let's dive right in.
PA Online Poker Sites
PokerStars PA is the best online poker site to offer real money games in Pennsylvania.
You can play legal real money online poker games in Pennsylvania from November 4, 2019.
That day, industry-leader PokerStars celebrated the first-ever 'shuffle up and deal of their PA-focused poker site.
888poker and partypoker are also expected to launch an online poker site in Pennsylvania in 2020 to compete with their arch-rival.
The opening of more PA online poker sites like 888poker PA and partypoker PA represents a great opportunity for all PA poker players.
More competition between international giants like these three is sure to result in great online events, synergies between online and offline operations and (why not) all great PA poker bonuses.
Here's a recap of the best PA online poker sites available to play real money poker games in Pennsylvania right now:
| Poker Site | Status | Play |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | Active | Register Here |
| 888poker PA | Coming Soon | N/A |
| partypoker PA | Coming Soon | N/A |
PokerStars Pennsylvania
PokerStars is the only poker site authorised to offer real money poker games to PA players.
This is the only PA poker site where you play free games to win real money (freeroll tournaments), play all the most popular poker variants, and experience international hits like PokerStars' Spin and Go tournaments.
When you register to play online poker games in PA on PokerStars, you get:
- An excellent bonus package with tickets to play Spin and Go tournaments
- A bonus match bonus on your first deposit
- The best customer support service in the industry
- Unlimited access to the only online legal poker games in PA
PokerStars PA has seen well over 600 players activate an account during the first night of action alone — with that number growing ever since.
The games on PokerStars PA are ring-fenced. Pennsylvania gambling laws do not allow the PA online poker sites to share liquidity (and player pool) with any of the poker sites in NJ, Delaware, and Nevada.
PokerStars' PA online poker site is operated in cooperation with the Mount Airy Casino Resort, the brands' partner in the State.
Games and Tournaments on PokerStars PA
Since this is the only legal poker site in Pennsylvania, PokerStars PA is where you find all the best online games.
Legal Online Poker Sites In Pa
The PokerStars PA poker client features an extensive offer of both cash games and poker tournaments.
Cash Games on PokerStars PA
The ring action reaches its peak in the evening when PokerStars PA continues to register the highest number of active players at its tables.
The cash games feature stakes that start at $0.01/$0.02 and go all the way up to $25/$50.
While not many PA poker players can afford the $25/$50 tables, you get a lot of action when you join the $1/$2 NLH games.
Poker In Pa
The majority of players on PokerStars PA are on the site to play no-limit hold'em games. However, this poker site also features a great range of other options, including:
- Limit Hold'em
- Omaha
- Seven-Card Stud
- H.O.R.S.E
- Razz
- 2-7 Triple Draw
Online Tournaments on PokerStars PA
As a tournament player, you are going to love the offering and the tournament calendar that PokerStars has planned to become the top online poker site in Pennsylvania.
The offer of no-limit hold'em is great and so are some of the guaranteed prizes available every day.
Some of the top daily events run by PokerStars in Pennsylvania include tournaments like the Hot Turbos, the KO Fever, the Moonlight Express, and the Nightly Stars.
You can also enjoy some Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Stud poker action with the Change Up daily events.
But the daily guaranteed multi-table online poker tournaments are events where everyone end up, sooner or later.
| Tournament | Time | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Big $5 | 4 p.m. | $5 | $500 |
| The Big $30 | 5 p.m. | $30 | $1,000 |
| The Big $50 | 6 p.m. | $50 | $2,000 |
| The Big $10 | 6 p.m. | $10 | $1,000 |
| The Big $20 | 7 p.m. | $20 | $1,500 |
All times are EST
Pa Online Poker Sites
The Sunday Majors on PokerStars PA
Now that online poker is legal in PA you can join your share of weekend actions with PokerStars' legendary Sunday poker tournaments.
PA Online Poker Sites
PokerStars PA is the best online poker site to offer real money games in Pennsylvania.
You can play legal real money online poker games in Pennsylvania from November 4, 2019.
That day, industry-leader PokerStars celebrated the first-ever 'shuffle up and deal of their PA-focused poker site.
888poker and partypoker are also expected to launch an online poker site in Pennsylvania in 2020 to compete with their arch-rival.
The opening of more PA online poker sites like 888poker PA and partypoker PA represents a great opportunity for all PA poker players.
More competition between international giants like these three is sure to result in great online events, synergies between online and offline operations and (why not) all great PA poker bonuses.
Here's a recap of the best PA online poker sites available to play real money poker games in Pennsylvania right now:
| Poker Site | Status | Play |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | Active | Register Here |
| 888poker PA | Coming Soon | N/A |
| partypoker PA | Coming Soon | N/A |
PokerStars Pennsylvania
PokerStars is the only poker site authorised to offer real money poker games to PA players.
This is the only PA poker site where you play free games to win real money (freeroll tournaments), play all the most popular poker variants, and experience international hits like PokerStars' Spin and Go tournaments.
When you register to play online poker games in PA on PokerStars, you get:
- An excellent bonus package with tickets to play Spin and Go tournaments
- A bonus match bonus on your first deposit
- The best customer support service in the industry
- Unlimited access to the only online legal poker games in PA
PokerStars PA has seen well over 600 players activate an account during the first night of action alone — with that number growing ever since.
The games on PokerStars PA are ring-fenced. Pennsylvania gambling laws do not allow the PA online poker sites to share liquidity (and player pool) with any of the poker sites in NJ, Delaware, and Nevada.
PokerStars' PA online poker site is operated in cooperation with the Mount Airy Casino Resort, the brands' partner in the State.
Games and Tournaments on PokerStars PA
Since this is the only legal poker site in Pennsylvania, PokerStars PA is where you find all the best online games.
Legal Online Poker Sites In Pa
The PokerStars PA poker client features an extensive offer of both cash games and poker tournaments.
Cash Games on PokerStars PA
The ring action reaches its peak in the evening when PokerStars PA continues to register the highest number of active players at its tables.
The cash games feature stakes that start at $0.01/$0.02 and go all the way up to $25/$50.
While not many PA poker players can afford the $25/$50 tables, you get a lot of action when you join the $1/$2 NLH games.
Poker In Pa
The majority of players on PokerStars PA are on the site to play no-limit hold'em games. However, this poker site also features a great range of other options, including:
- Limit Hold'em
- Omaha
- Seven-Card Stud
- H.O.R.S.E
- Razz
- 2-7 Triple Draw
Online Tournaments on PokerStars PA
As a tournament player, you are going to love the offering and the tournament calendar that PokerStars has planned to become the top online poker site in Pennsylvania.
The offer of no-limit hold'em is great and so are some of the guaranteed prizes available every day.
Some of the top daily events run by PokerStars in Pennsylvania include tournaments like the Hot Turbos, the KO Fever, the Moonlight Express, and the Nightly Stars.
You can also enjoy some Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Stud poker action with the Change Up daily events.
But the daily guaranteed multi-table online poker tournaments are events where everyone end up, sooner or later.
| Tournament | Time | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Big $5 | 4 p.m. | $5 | $500 |
| The Big $30 | 5 p.m. | $30 | $1,000 |
| The Big $50 | 6 p.m. | $50 | $2,000 |
| The Big $10 | 6 p.m. | $10 | $1,000 |
| The Big $20 | 7 p.m. | $20 | $1,500 |
All times are EST
Pa Online Poker Sites
The Sunday Majors on PokerStars PA
Now that online poker is legal in PA you can join your share of weekend actions with PokerStars' legendary Sunday poker tournaments.
The Sunday Majors are the best poker tournaments in PA. There you find the most exciting action and, of course, the best real money prizes.
The Sunday action at PokerStars PA begins with the $8,500 GTD Sunday Warm-Up, a $50 buy-in event starting at 4 p.m., and leads to the $500 buy-in Sunday Special, the marquee event of the day where the players compete for a guarantee of $15,000.
| Tournament | Time | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Warm-Up | 4 p.m. | $50 | $8,500 |
| Sunday Storm | 5 p.m. | $10 | $4,500 |
| Sunday Special | 6 p.m. | $200 | $45,000 |
| Sunday High Roller | 7 p.m. | $500 | $15,000 |
| Sunday Supersonic | 10 p.m. | $75 | $5,000 |
PA Online Tournament Series
PokerStars brings to Pennsylvania poker players also some of their most successful annual online tournament series.
This is the site where you find massive multiplayer events like the Pennsylvania Spring Championship of Online Poker (PASCOOP), the Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker (PACOOP), and the Summer Series.
Keep visiting PokerNews.com to know more about these events and their online qualifiers as the respective schedules are released.
888poker Pennsylvania
888holdings is expected to launch their own 888poker PA poker site shortly after PokerStars.
The 888poker PA website will be the result of a cooperation between 888poker/WSOP.com and Harrah's Casino.
The fact 888 and WSOP.com might merge their player pools could lead to their product being the one with the highest number of active players in Pennsylvania.
However, we do not have an official date for the launch of 888poker PA.
Back in September, 888poker's Head of Commercial DevelopmentYaniv Sherman announced that the company intended to adopt a 'selective approach' to online poker in Pennsylvania and would launch a new product in the state 'as soon as possible.'
Sherman mentioned PA's tax and fee regime as the main reason why the company decided to take a more cautionary approach and intended to work closely with their partners Harrah's and WSOP.com to make sure a jump in the PA online poker market would be as cost-efficient as possible.
partypoker Pennsylvania
partypoker is also expected to join the race and compete for a share of the market contended by the other PA poker sites.
GVC's online poker site intends to enter Pennsylvania in partnership with the Valley Forge Casino.
Like in the case of 888poker, we have yet to receive the official date of partypoker's launch in Pennsylvania.
Other Pennsylvania Poker Sites
PokerStars, 888poker, and partypoker are not the only companies that have decided to shape Pennsylvania's online poker market.
More names in the industry have decided to secure a license to offer real money poker games online to PA players, and so we can only expect other Pennsylvania poker sites to launch soon.
The list of companies that hold a license to launch poker sites in Pennsylvania includes:
- SugarHouse Poker
- Harrah's Poker
- Hollywood Casino Poker
- Mount Airy Poker
- Parx Poker
- Valley Forge Poker
- Wind Creek Poker
Pennsylvania Poker F.A.Q.
Can you play poker online in Pennsylvania?
Yes. PA players can play online poker games for free and for real money. Free-to-play poker apps like the WSOP Poker app are all legal in Pennsylvania.
PokerStars PA is the only poker site authorised by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to offer real money games online.
Can you play online poker for money in PA?
Yes. You can play real money cash games, tournament, sit-and-go and more on the PokerStars PA website. At present, this is the only real money poker site that operates in Pennsylvania under a license issued by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
When will online poker start in PA?
Real money online poker in PA started on November 4, 2019, with the official release of the PokerStars PA online poker client.
How to play online poker in PA?
- Select one of the PA poker sites approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
- Register a free gaming account
- Confirm your identity
- Choose a poker game and play
Where can I play online poker in PA?
To date, the only online poker site authorised to offer real money poker games to PA players is PokerStars. Other PA online poker sites are expected to enter the state between Q1 and Q2-2020.
Is online gambling legal in Pennsylvania?
Online gambling is legal in Pennsylvania. On October 30, 2017, PA governor Tom Wolf signed into law the bill that legalised online sports betting, online casino gambling, and online poker in Pennsylvania.
PA online casinos and sports betting sites started to offer their services to PA players on July 15, 2019. The first real money online poker hand in Pennsylvania was dealt on PokerStars on November 4, 2019.
Live poker rooms are slowly starting to come back in Pennsylvania, having been closed for much of the year due to the impact of the coronavirus.
The poker rooms at The Meadows and Rivers Casino Philadelphia opened today while Mount Airy and Mohegan Sun Pocono opened their poker rooms earlier this month.
🚨UPDATE🚨 The Poker Room is officially open! We're so excited to welcome you back. Be sure to follow @riverspokerphl… https://t.co/0uTiezn15S— Rivers Casino Philadelphia (@riverscasinophl) October 23, 2020
'Poker players are excited to be back at the tables, enjoying the game they love,' said Peter Longi, assistant general manager at Rivers Casino Philadelphia in a press release announcing the opening. 'Our reopening was carefully planned with the safety of our team and guests being the primary concern. We're eager to welcome back our poker team.'
Safety precautions that have been implemented adhere to the COVID-19 Casino Reopening Protocols as determined by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) and include the addition of plexiglass barriers between players and limiting the number of players at a table to seven.
In addition, staff and players are required to wear masks, with sanitizer available at each table. Chips and cards are cleaned regularly.
With coronavirus cases on the rise in Pennsylvania, there is no guarantee that what is open now will remain so in the future.
The entire world is still very much in the grips of COVID-19, with the United States fast becoming one of the worst affected countries in the world when it comes to the deadly airborne virus.
Pennsylvania casinos have been reopening in accordance with the PGCB COVID-19 guidelines that were published back in May, outlining how the properties can become COVID-19 compliant.
However, the guidance at that time stated that 'poker rooms are not authorized to operate due to players handling cards and chips' and poker room operations would be reevaluated as guidance from government health organizations were updated.
Live Poker Rooms in PA: Which are Open and Which are Closed
| Live Poker Rooms | Open or Closed |
| Mohegan Sun Pocono | Opened October 16 |
| Mount Airy | Opened October 16 |
| Rivers Casino Philadelphia | October 23 |
| The Meadows | Opened October 23 |
| Hollywood Casino | Currently closed |
| Parx | Currently closed |
| Presque Isle Downs | Currently closed |
| Rivers Casino Pittsburgh | Currently closed |
| Wind Creek Bethlehem | Currently closed |
Online Poker in Pennsylvania
PokerStars PA is currently the only online poker room operational in the PA market, having run in the Keystone State for almost full year.
There is plenty of action on PokerStars PA, especially for those players that do not feel comfortable returning to the live poker scene.
During October, players in PA can go onto PokerStars PA and win a share more than $175,000 that will be distributed over the duration of the Mystery House promotion.
Players will need to either collect three keys from three different rooms (as every room can only be entered once) or reach the final square on the special Mystery House board to win prizes.
The Mystery House promotion is currently underway and runs until November 1. It is important to note that players must opt-in through the PokerStars lobby to participate.
More Online Poker Operators Coming to Pennsylvania
888 is hopefully coming to the PA market having been approved by the PGCB as an Interactive Gaming Manufacturer back in late September.
This means that the runway is set for the second online poker operator to launch in the state. 888's approval could mean that we will see its partner (the World Series of Poker) launch an online poker room under the WSOP PA brand. We could also see 888 launch its own branded online poker room as 888 PA.
However, the PGCB did not reveal any details around a launch plan for another online poker room.
Another possibility for the second online poker room in Pennsylvania could be partypoker PA. The operator is expected to enter the market before the year is out.
Partypoker parent company, GVC, in partnership with MGM owns ROAR Digital which runs the partypoker US Network in New Jersey.
'PGCB staff have been working closely with Roar to launch the Party Poker and BetMGM apps, which will include interactive slots, table games and poker,' Doug Harbach, PGCB Communications Director told pokerfuse. 'This includes testing of ROAR's interactive gaming platform and games.'
