Pennsylvania’s legal online poker market is one of the largest in the United States. Some poker regulars have complained that Pennsylvania does not share player pools with other states. And while that would be great, the states that do currently share player pools (New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada) have a combined population about equal to Pennsylvania’s. So, PA poker players can enjoy plenty of competition in-state for now.
Here are the requirements for playing online poker in Pennsylvania:
- You must be 21 years or older
- You must be physically located within Pennsylvania state lines
- You will need a reliable internet connection
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has few other restrictions when it comes to online poker. You do not need to be a Pennsylvania resident; you can sign up, deposit, and withdraw from anywhere in the country. You just need to be in Pennsylvania to play.
The online gambling landscape in the state also includes plenty of Pennsylvania online casinos and Pennsylvania sportsbooks.
Best Pennsylvania Online Poker Sites 2024
- Play 1 Hand, Get $150 in Bonus Play
- NJ & MI Shared Player Pools
- Over $1 Million Won Every Day
- To Claim: Click Play Now
- $75 in Tournament Tickets On Deposit
- 100% Up To $1,000 On Deposit
- 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
- Use Bonus Code: PLAYCHIP
- $100 in Bonus Play on 1st Deposit
- 100% up to $1,000 on Deposit
- Use Bonus Code: 25BONUS
- $75 in Tournament Tickets on Deposit
- 100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
- 21+. NJ Only. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
- Use Bonus Code: POKPLAY
Why We Like These PA Online Poker Sites
PokerStars Pennsylvania – Best Overall
PokerStars Bonus Code: Play 1 hand, Get $150 bonus OR 100% match up to $600 bonus with code STARS600
- Accessible Via: PokerStars Desktop App, PokerStars iOS App, PokerStars Android App
- Brick-And-Mortar Partner: Mount Airy Casino Resort of the Poconos
- Available States: MI, NJ, & PA
- Why It’s the Best Overall: PokerStars PA has the most players in the state, which means more opportunities to win.
PokerStars Pennsylvania used to be the only legal online poker site in the state. Perhaps, as a result, PokerStars PA continues to offer the most players, the biggest tournaments, and the largest guaranteed cash pools.
New players can use our PokerStars PA promo code links. That gets you a $150 bonus for playing one hand OR a 100% bonus up to $600. Low-stakes players who don’t play very often should go for the $150. Players in it for the long term and willing to deposit more than $150 are best off with the 100% deposit bonus. You have three deposits over 60 days to take advantage of the full amount.
The bonus money for the deposit match is credited in increments of $10, or 140 redemption points. Every $1 you pay in either tournament fees or rake (AKA the platform’s commission fees) earns five redemption points.
Terms and conditions apply to both offers.
BetMGM Poker Pennsylvania – Best Bonus Code
BetMGM Poker Bonus Code: $75 bonus + 100% deposit-match bonus up to $1,000 with code PLAYCHIP on first deposit
- Accessible Via: BetMGM Desktop App, BetMGM iOS App, BetMGM Android App
- Brick-And-Mortar Partner: Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Available States: PA, NJ, MI
- Why It Offers The Best Bonus Code: The BetMGM Poker bonus code PLAYCHIP gets new players up to $1,075 in bonuses (up to $75 on first deposit, plus up to $1,000 as a deposit match) at friendly terms.
In April 2021, the Pennsylvania poker market welcomed two new poker apps, BetMGM Poker and Borgata Poker. Although operating under two unique brands, each of these poker sites is powered by PartyPoker US Network software.
The BetMGM Poker bonus code is PLAYCHIP. It gets new players a $75 bonus on first deposit, plus a 100% deposit-match bonus up to $1,000. Terms and conditions apply.
Beyond the great welcome offer, another good reason to join BetMGM Poker is having full access to BetMGM Casino and Sportsbook, which are among the best options for casino gaming and sports betting in Pennsylvania.
WSOP.com Pennsylvania – Best For WSOP Fans
Use WSOP.com promo code 25BONUS to get a 100% deposit match up to $1,000 and up to $100 in bonus play on deposit. Click here to claim.
- Accessible Via: WSOP Desktop App, WSOP iOS App, WSOP Android App
- Brick-And-Mortar Partner: Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Available States: NV, NJ, PA, DE (as 888Poker)
- Why It Offers The Best For WSOP Fans: The familiar branding and opportunity to qualify for the annual World Series of Poker make this essential for fans of the world’s biggest poker tournament.
Even people who never played poker know about the WSOP or the World Series of Poker. WSOP.com has a partnership with Harrah’s Philadelphia to offer both offline and online poker in the state. If you’re already a fan of WSOP, this is pretty much a no-brainer. You can even qualify for the World Series of Poker through this membership, which is how dreams come true.
Borgata Poker PA – Best App For PartyPoker Network
Get up to $75 bonus on signup + 100% deposit-match up t$1,000 with Borgata Poker code POKPLAY
- Accessible Via: Borgata Poker Desktop App, Borgata Poker iOS App, Borgata Poker Android App
- Brick-And-Mortar Partner: Rivers Casino Philadelphia
- Available States: NJ, PA, MI (as BetMGM Poker)
- Why It Offers The Best App For The PartyPoker Network: Apple users rate the performance of the app far better than its BetMGM Poker counterpart.
Borgata Poker PA shares an in-state player pool with BetMGM Poker, which means many players with a wide range of skill levels. It also means big tournaments, some with six-figure guarantees or more. It also boasts a better App Store rating than BetMGM Poker. So, if you’re planning on playing a lot of games on your iPhone or iPad, this is probably the better choice. The desktop and Android apps offer the same level of quality, though.
New to this platform? Use the Borgata Poker bonus code POKPLAY to get a 100% deposit-match bonus up to $1,000 plus up to $75 bonus on your first deposit. To clarify, that’s the same offer as BetMGM Poker but with a different bonus code. Terms and conditions apply.
New PA Online Poker Sites
The newest Pennsylvania online poker site is WSOP.com, which launched in Jul. 2021.
Beyond that, there are openings for more poker sites. However, we don’t believe we’ll likely see another any time soon. For one, all of the biggest names are already in the state. Secondly, Pennsylvania does not offer multi-state online poker, which severely limits the liquidity of the online poker platforms in the state. These two factors make it unlikely that we’ll see another PA online poker site launch in the near future.
Types of Online Poker Bonus Codes in PA
Deposit Match Bonuses
Deposit match bonuses will get you the most bonus money out of all welcome bonuses in the long term. Essentially, these bonuses match your initial deposit by a certain percentage and up to a certain amount. For example, if a deposit match says 100% up to $1,000, and you deposit $1,000, that means you’ll receive an additional $1,000 in bonus funds. This brings your grand total up to $2,000, but the bonus funds are beholden to terms and conditions such as playthrough requirements.
Reload Bonuses
Reload bonuses are similar to deposit match bonuses in that they match a deposit by a certain percentage and up to a certain amount, but in this case, they do so for existing players. In fact, they may even be called deposit match bonuses at some online poker sites. These reload bonuses usually offer smaller percentage matches and maximums, as they reward players for reloading their balance rather than making their first-ever deposit.
No Deposit Bonuses
An no deposit bonus simply gives players bonus money for creating an account. You usually have to verify your account via text or email, as well as undergo identity verification. Once that’s complete, you’ll receive betting credits. Keep in mind that, much like with other bonus types, these bonus funds are governed by a set of terms and conditions that dictate how and when you can convert them to withdrawable cash.
Freeroll Tournaments
Freeroll tournaments allow players to compete for real-money prizes without buying a ticket. For example, PokerStars PA hosts a variety of freeroll tournaments for members on the last Sunday of every month. BetMGM PA offers daily freeroll tournaments, and you can find some on all four Pennsylvania online poker apps.
How to Sign Up for PA Online Poker
Find a site that appeals to you.
First of all, you have to find an online poker site that appeals to you. Luckily for PA players, they have multiple options that include all the biggest names in the game. When finding a site, you should, of course, consider the welcome bonus, but you should also consider the overall quality and reliability of the site, how it can be accessed, the games that are available, and how they treat their existing players. All of these future considerations will be important to you as you continue to play.
Get registered.
Now that you’ve found a site you like, it’s time to get registered to play PA online poker. The registration process at any PA online poker site involves providing personal details to verify your identity, in addition to creating account details such as a username, password, and so on. Make sure that all of this information is accurate so that your account gets verified successfully.
In addition, claiming the welcome bonus begins at the registration stage. First of all, make sure you click through one of our links to ensure you activate our exclusive welcome bonuses. Next, make sure that the relevant bonus code is entered during the registration process. If you don’t follow these steps, you may not receive your bonus.
Scope it out.
Before jumping in and putting money down, you should first take a look around the site and some of the games themselves. This will help familiarize you to the layout, controls, and features that the poker software offers. Then, when you head to the next step and make a deposit and play, you’ll already know what to do and you’ll be ready.
Deposit and play!
Finally, it’s time for the fun part. When you make your first deposit, there are two things you should consider. Firstly, if the welcome bonus you claimed holds reliance on the first deposit, make sure you meet the requirements. Secondly, make sure you choose a deposit method that’s convenient for you and that you’d be happy to withdraw back to when you’re ready. This is because many online poker sites will only let you withdraw money using a method you’ve previously used to make a deposit for security purposes.
Next, hop into a game, put your money down, and enjoy! You should already be familiar with everything from the previous step and ready to go.
Online Poker Rewards Program For PA Players
PA poker players have access to four rewards programs:
- Stars Rewards (PokerStars): Pennsylvania players can earn Stars Rewards points for playing cash games and buying into tournaments at PokerStars PA. Earning points also means unlocking more of the 100% deposit-match welcome bonus up to $600.
- Poker Rewards (WSOP): WSOP offers its loyalty program, which gives players comp points for spending money on the site.
- Caesars Rewards (WSOP): WSOP members can also connect their Caesars Rewards account to earn points by playing poker at WSOP as well as playing casino games and betting on sports at Caesars Sportsbook & Casino.
- MGM Rewards (Borgata & BetMGM): You’ll earn MGM Rewards points for betting at Borgata Poker, Borgata Casino, BetMGM Poker, BetMGM Sportsbook, BetMGM Casino, and all MGM Resorts properties across the country.
Pennsylvania Online Poker History and Facts
Looking at PA online poker, there’s a lot to talk about. In terms of history, online poker in the state was legalized in 2017 with the passage of HB 271, the same bill that legalized other forms of online gambling, such as online casinos and sportsbooks. However, the first site launched years later, when PokerStars opened its virtual doors in Nov. 2019. Since then, more sites have launched in the state, with the latest being WSOP.com in Jul. 2021. Now that you’ve got a base history lesson let’s take a look at some other facts.
Does Pennsylvania Share Online Poker Player Pools With Any Other States?
No. And the lack of shared liquidity is the biggest downside to the Pennsylvania online poker market.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) requires localized servers for iGaming operators in the state. That is specifically to prevent any chance of interstate online gambling of any kind. But that also means the online poker market will grow at a much slower pace than sports betting and PA online casino sites.
The state of Pennsylvania has as many residents as Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada combined, which do share a player pool. However, that also means PA joining the other three states would double both markets. Michigan opened the doors to interstate online poker even further by joining up with New Jersey at the end of 2022. That would bring the shared population up from 12.9 million (PA population) to 36.8 million (combined population of all five states with legal online poker). West Virginia has also joined the multi-state online poker agreement but does not currently have any live online poker sites. If you were to add their population to the mix with a site launch, that would bring the total to almost 38.6 million.
The more players, the larger the tournaments and the variety of challengers. Learn more about NJ online poker and how player pools work.
Do Pennsylvania’s Online Poker Sites Offer Mobile Apps?
Yes, all Pennsylvania online poker sites offer both desktop and mobile apps. Here’s a breakdown of the options:
- PA Poker Apps For Desktop: Unlike casino games and sports betting, you need to download an online poker platform to play it via desktop. You can do so directly on the online platform’s website.
- PA Poker Apps For iOS: You’ll likely have the largest screen and most computing power on a desktop or laptop, but all PA poker apps offer an iOS app. The top-rated option is PokerStars Pennsylvania. You can download the apps directly from the App Store.
- PA Poker Apps For Android: All PA poker sites also have Android apps. The easiest way to find it is to visit the poker site on your device’s web browser, then use the direct link to either go to the Google Play Store or download it directly from the site. It depends on whether the online poker service is listed on Google Play.
And be sure you’re downloading the PA version of the online poker platform. The PokerStars icon will have the word “Pennsylvania” beneath the red spade logo. If you join using the wrong app, it could be a hassle to delete the account and get a new Pennsylvania one.
Live Poker Available in PA
| Poker Room | Address | Number of Tables |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino at The Meadows | 210 Racetrack Rd, Washington, PA | 14 |
| Hollywood Casino Morgantown | 6021 Morgantown Rd, Morgantown, PA | 4 |
| Hollywood Casino Penn National | 777 Hollywood Blvd, Grantville, PA | 11 |
| Live! Casino Philadelphia | 900 Packer Ave, Philadelphia, PA | 29 |
| Live! Casino Pittsburgh | 5260 US-30, Greensburg, PA | 7 |
| Mohegan Sun Pocono | 1280 PA-315, Wilkes-Barre, PA | 9 |
| Mount Airy Casino | 44 Woodland Rd, Mt Pocono, PA | 12 |
| Parx Casino | 2999 E Street Rd, Trevose, PA | 48 |
| Rivers Casino Philadelphia | 1001 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA | 28 |
| Rivers Casino Pittsburgh | 777 Casino Dr, Pittsburgh, PA | 30 |
| Wind Creek Bethlehem | 77 Wind Creek Blvd, Bethlehem, PA | 20 |
Pennsylvania Online Poker FAQs
21. The legal age for online poker in Pennsylvania is 21 and up. You must be 21 to play at Pennsylvania online casinos and sportsbooks as well. It’s worth nothing that you do not need to be a legal PA resident to play at any of the gambling sites as long as you’re within state lines.
No. DraftKings does not currently offer online poker in Pennsylvania. However, DraftKings PA does have one of the highest-quality online casinos, which offers casino poker, video poker, and other card games, as well as live dealer games.
Yes. PokerStars PA launched in partnership with Mount Airy Casino. New players can choose between $150 free after their first hand or a 100% bonus up to $600 (using code STARS600). Members at PokerStars also have access to PokerStars Casino, an excellent option for online casino gaming.
While all withdrawal methods are available for deposit, not all deposit methods are available for withdrawal. These are the cashout options currently available at PokerStars PA and most other online poker platforms:
- Skrill (e-wallet)
- PayPal (e-wallet)
- Instant eChecks
- Online Bank Transfer
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