The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has made applications available on its website for interactive gaming manufacturers, suppliers and service providers wishing to secure licenses to operate online gaming in the state.
There are 13 online casino licenses and 13 online poker licenses available, initially only to existing gaming licensees, separately or as part of a package. Thirteen licenses were decided upon to offer all 12 existing land-based operators and the planned second Philadelphia casino first crack at the licenses.
The board will accept applications on April 2 for operators, and will post separate applications for interactive gaming platform providers at a future date.
The basic application is 60 pages long, with additional supporting documents to be required from some applicants. While some current operators are expected to apply for online poker licenses—due to the authorization of multi-state compacts in the new gaming law—few are expected to apply for the more potentially lucrative online slot licenses, since the state’s law sets the online slot tax at 54 percent, a level matching the land-based slot tax that most operators view as unworkable.
The onerous tax is on top of a $10 million online gaming license fee, compared to only $400 million for New Jersey iGaming operators.
The board has indicated it will take several months to vet applications. Licenses will be made available to outside entities if current casinos do not take them.
