Pennsylvania’s online gambling industry could be up and running by November, say analysts from PennBets.com, which tracks the state’s casino industry, according to CDC Gaming Reports.
On March 15, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) announced that it will soon begin taking applications from the state’s brick-and-mortar casinos to create their own iGaming sites. The land-based casinos can start requesting one of the 13 available Internet Gaming Certificates on April 16.
Casino games will be divided into three categories: peer-to-peer games, slot machines and table games, and casinos can purchase a certificate to offer all three or individual games.
“Taking the initial 120-day application period into account and adding another 90 days for PGCB approval, we estimate that state iGaming sites could be up and running by November,” Adam Small, president and chief analyst at PennBets, told CDC Gaming Reports.
So far, Parx Casino, Mount Airy Casino Resort, SugarHouse Casino and Rivers Casino are the only Pennsylvania casinos that have confirmed that they will participate in applying for an online gambling certificate.
Many casino operators may be discouraged by the high tax rates and fees included in the state’s online gambling legislation.
