Next came the lottery (1971), followed by charitable gaming (1988).īy the early 2000s, the racetracks were struggling, and a law that allowed them to host slots ultimately led to the establishment of standalone casinos. The first racetrack, the Meadows, opened in 1963 and took the first legal bets in the state. Gross gaming revenue across all its casinos was $5.34 billion in 2022, creating an estimated overall economic impact of $6.45 billion, according to the American Gaming Association.įor many years, parimutuel horse and dog betting was the only game in town, and it was legalized later than in many states, in 1959.
Its 16 casinos are second only to the Nevada market in terms of the revenue they generate. All players of legal gambling age in the state can access licensed Pennsylvania online casi nos, online sportsbooks, and poker sites, plus daily fantasy sports, and online racebooks.
Gambling has expanded considerably in Pennsylvania in recent years, and today it's one of the most liberal markets in the US.
