Page Contents
Who doesn’t love a game of poker? Especially poker online games which have been the stepping stone for many professional players learning the basics. Online poker is that bridge for beginners to dip their toe into poker and learn the nuances. But online poker can also be for the seasoned player looking for that convenience of being able to play any time anywhere.
Finding that special online poker provider in the US can be difficult. Each State has its own laws governing online gambling and Pennsylvania is no different. It has its own governing body and just recently has announced the launch date of online poker – July 2019! So get ready PA, you will be able to play online poker very soon!
On Gambledex, we’ve researched the best online poker Pennsylvania providers for you. We take into consideration online and offshore licencing, their history of online poker, and of course their fun factor.
Player Requirements
Age 21 or older
Although not yet confirmed, it is expected that players will need to be 21 years or older. Every site that offers online poker will need to verify players with identification checks to ensure age requirements are met. The age requirement is the same as Pennsylvania online casino betting and online sports betting.
Pennsylvania boundaries
The online gaming laws require players to be physically in the state of Pennsylvania at the time of playing online. The software that the online poker providers use must ensure that the IP addresses (geo-locations) of the players are from the state of Pennsylvania.
Top 3 Pennsylvania Poker Sites
| CASINO | RATING | BONUS | PLAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Vegas Casino Online | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 300% up to $3,000 1st Deposit Bonus | PLAY NOW Review |
| 2 |  Slots Plus Casino | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 400% up to $500 1st Deposit Bonus | PLAY NOW Review |
| 3 |  Las Vegas USA | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 400% up to $10,000 Welcome Bonus | PLAY NOW Review |
| 4 |  Cafe Casino | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 250% up to $1,500 1st Deposit Bonus | PLAY NOW Review |
| 5 |  Shazam Casino | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 300% up to $3,000 1st Deposit Bonus | PLAY NOW Review |
Online Poker Providers
The big three onshore providers that are at the forefront of being approved and operational at the earliest are:
Parx Casino – has the largest live poker room in the state but is teaming up with GAN which is not the strongest of platform providers for online poker. GAN is relatively new to the scene of online platforms for poker. That’s not to say that they won’t be any good, but usually with new comers to the technology scene it requires time to iron out the bugs. Having said that, given that Parx Casino has the largest live poker room in PA, can you rest assured with will ensure the partnership with GAN will be a success.
Mount Airy – partnering with the powerhouse PokerStars. PokerStars is a strong global brand and it’s software is renowned for it’s high quality experience for players. They offer a multitude of game offerings that cover all the varieties of poker that you can think of, Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 5 card Omaha, Courchevel, Stud, Razz, the list goes on and on.
Harrah’s Philadelphia – has really good long term potential. Firstly it has partnered with the strong brand of WSOP (World Series of Poker) which also operates in other states in the US. Although no formal agreement has been made to allow pooling of players online interstate, with the partnering of WSOP, Harrah’s has the potential to expand it’s reach in the online poker channel.
Offshore Online Poker Pennsylvania
Offshore online poker providers for Pennsylvania residents already exist. Any off shore online casino that accepts American players, will without doubt accept residents from Pennsylvania. What makes playing on offshore online casinos unappealing is their payment methods. Sometimes they do not accept American issued credit cards and often the credit cards will be blocked either by American credit card regulators or by the offshore based casino. Quite often other methods of payment and receipting such as bank wire transfers are used, but they are not cost effective. With the issuing of formal licenses to onshore operators in Pennsylvania, the payment method issue of cost effectiveness should be overcome.