Partypoker has been a leading online poker site for the better part of the past decade with good player volume in both cash games and tournaments. Partypoker has maintained a number of juicy games over time thanks to a constant influx of beginners and gamblers from the casino looking for action. Partypoker also offers great promotions and newly upgraded software that has dramatically improved. Playing online poker tournaments is a great way for you to earn significant prizes, and the top PA poker sites will provide you with plenty of opportunities to do so. You’ll be able to find a wide range of formats, speeds and variants, allowing you to mix it up a little bit.
In Pennsylvania, poker players have the pleasure of experiencing thrilling cash games and tournaments online. You don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home to experience all of the excitement of playing poker, and online gaming offers up the additional benefit of allowing you to claim generous bonuses that you would never find […]In Pennsylvania, poker players have the pleasure of experiencing thrilling cash games and tournaments online. You don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home to experience all of the excitement of playing poker, and online gaming offers up the additional benefit of allowing you to claim generous bonuses that you would never find in land-based venues.
Pennsylvania passed a broad gambling expansion bill in 2017 that among its many provisions authorized online casinos, online sportsbooks, and real money online poker sites. Given the heavy lift of licensing and regulation, it took nearly two years for the first PA online poker sites to appear. PA Online Poker – News, Updates, and Poker Site Info Pennsylvania is the fourth state to offer regulated online poker. Players in the Keystone State are currently only able to play on PokerStars PA but more operators are expected to launch by early 2020.
There are a number of Pennsylvania online poker sites available to players, but some definitely stand out from the bunch. The top PA online poker rooms not only provide you with a great selection of games and quality software but also offer up bonuses that build your bankroll, fun tournaments and excellent customer service.
Before online poker in PA became legalized and regulated, local players would have to play at offshore websites. While they offer up many of the same game variants, tournaments and bonuses, it is sometimes difficult for American players to deposit and withdraw cash using USD.
At the top Pennsylvania poker sites, players are able to deposit in their home currency without having to worry about exchange rate or dealing with sketchy banking methods. Not only that, you have the ability to deposit using widely-accepted banking methods like credit cards, debit cards and bank transfers as well as reputable e-wallets like Neteller and Skrill.
The best Pennsylvania online poker rooms offer you instant deposits, so you can get playing in exciting cash games and tournaments right away. There are usually no fees required when making deposits, and the top poker rooms often offer reload bonuses when you fund your account. Preferred deposit bonuses are also available, allowing you to claim a 10% or 20% match when you fund your account with Neteller or Skrill.
When it comes to making withdrawals, using checks or bank transfers may incur a fee. The top poker sites will endeavor to pay out your withdrawal within a reasonable time frame. While it sometimes takes up to 5 days for you to see your money in your bank account, many sites aim to process them within 24 hours.
At the top Pennsylvania online poker destinations, you’ll encounter plenty of opportunities to claim bonuses. These are provided in various ways, including:
Any online poker site in PA worth its weight will provide players with the chance to join a lucrative VIP program or loyalty scheme. You’ll be able to earn points whenever you play at the site, and these points can be redeemed for cash bonuses and tournament tickets.
The best loyalty programs will also have different tier levels for you to climb. As you move up the ranks, you’ll be able to receive a better redemption rate on your points and even gain access to exclusive tournaments and promos.
Online poker software comes in all shapes and sizes. Every big-name poker operator uses a different type of software with different capabilities, speeds and games. So, you’ll have to be pretty discerning if you want to play at an online poker site with quality software that appeals to your gaming tastes.
You can only really get to know a site’s online poker software by signing up and giving it a spin. All of the best Pennsylvania online poker rooms offer free-play versions of their games so you have a great opportunity to test it out and see if you get along with their software.
There are two main types of online poker software – downloadable suites and web-based casinos. While the in-game software is pretty similar, the game selection does differ, so the casino that you choose to register with will certainly be impacted by whether you want to play from your desktop or your mobile device.
Desktop poker software is a downloadable suite that must be installed on your computer. The file sizes are usually no bigger than 50mb and don’t take very long to download. They provide access to the full collection of cash games and tournaments that the operator has to offer, and you can multi-table across a number of screens. If you’re a serious poker player, this is usually the option that you should go for.
If you prefer to play poker while on the go, then your best bet is signing up to a PA online poker site that has an instant-play suite. This software loads directly in your web browser, which means that you don’t have to download any software.
You’re able to play from any mobile device that you have, but your gaming options will be limited. At poker rooms with instant-play capability, you might not find as many cash games and tournaments available. In cash games, you don’t get to choose where you sit; you’re simply sat at the next available seat. There also isn’t the opportunity for you to multi-table, so this option is better suited to casual players who don’t require full access to the operator’s poker activities.
You should have access to plenty of competition when playing poker online. After all, what’s the point in playing if there’s no one online to play with? By taking a quick look at the cash game and tournament lobbies, you can find out if the site is busy enough to cater to your online poker needs and offer you the kind of gaming experience that you’re after.
When choosing the best poker site for your interests, it’s important that the site you sign up with provides you with enough gaming options to keep you interested. If you want to play Texas Hold’em, you shouldn’t have much of a problem but if you’re looking for something a little bit more niche, then you’ll have to look a little deeper.
Omaha games are generally easy to find at Pennsylvania online poker sites, but you may struggle if you’re looking for fast-fold variants, Razz and stud games. To find out which sites offer these options, it just takes a quick look at the game lobby filters to determine whether or not there are plenty of poker variants on offer.
Playing online poker tournaments is a great way for you to earn significant prizes, and the top PA poker sites will provide you with plenty of opportunities to do so. You’ll be able to find a wide range of formats, speeds and variants, allowing you to mix it up a little bit.
Another benefit of playing online poker in PA is that the state is part of the Interstate Poker Pact. This combines the Pennsylvania player pools with those in Delaware, New Jersey and Nevada – so, you have more competition and access to larger tournament prize pools.
Sign up to a Pennsylvania online poker site to experience all of the action of land-based poker without leaving your home. The top sites offer up a great opportunity to win cash prizes and build on your skills – in a safe and secure environment with reliable software and generous bonuses on offer.
It took until the end of November 2019 for online poker in PA to get formally legalized. This made the Keystone State the fourth US state where players can play poker games online legally. More importantly, it marked the start of an era of safe and regulated PA poker sites.
In this article, we will take a look at the present landscape of Pennsylvania online poker. We will also see which poker websites have set up shop since the bill was introduced and what they have to offer.
As we’ve said in the beginning, online poker in PA has been legal since late 2019. This means that poker pundits who reside within the state can play real-money poker at licensed online poker sites. Since the launch, the number of sites and tournaments has steadily been increasing.
However, the road to this point hit its fair share of bumps. The move to regulate online gambling began back in 2013. This is when the gaming regulatory officials first started to look into legal and regulatory requirements. Following years of discussions, studies, and delays, it took until 2017 for the legislation to move forward.
Finally, after another two-year delay, the governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, signed the Bill H 271 on November 4, 2019. Apart from PA online poker, the bill also legalized interactive casino games, daily fantasy sports, and sports betting, making history in the process.
In order to start offering online poker in PA, software providers must enter a partnership with an established land-based casino. At this time, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved seven land-based casinos to begin offering online poker in PA. In order to apply for a license to offer casino and poker games online, casino operators must pay $10 million.
When it comes to accessing poker games online, players usually have to download a desktop client in or a mobile app. This provides a more stable playing experience and also gives players the possibility to play at more than one table at the same time. There are four main poker formats you will find at the best online poker sites:
It did not take long since the launch for Pennsylvania online poker market to become extremely competitive. But, as it often does, the competition brought players a number of benefits. Operators consistently try to one-up each other and reel in new users with promotional offers, bigger tournaments and a better choice of poker games online. Some of the promotional offers you will commonly see are the following:
Making online poker in PA legal made it much less risky for players to deposit and withdraw funds. Generally, the exact list of payment options varies with operators. However, these are the most common payment options you will have in the best online poker sites:
Credit / Debit cards – Making deposits with Visa and MasterCard is supported by all PA poker sites. Some also accept Discover cards.</li>
Prepaid Play+ cards – Some operators offer branded prepaid cards, which you can use to deposit and withdraw funds.
PayPal – It’s the most popular online wallet in the US. It acts as an intermediary between your bank account and the online casino, keeping your sensitive information hidden. For many PA poker players, it is the most convenient option for deposits and withdrawals.
Neteller / Skrill – Both of the services work in a similar way to PayPal and have been popular payment options in iGaming for years. Like PayPal, they have quick processing times but come with hefty fees.
eChecks – eChecks or ACH transfers are a way to transfer money directly to and from your bank account. Online operators usually allow you to pre-verify your banking information which significantly speeds up the process.
Bank Wire – Although slower than eChecks, Bank Wires are another way to transfer money directly from your bank. It’s mostly used to transfer larger amounts.
Money order / Paper Check – Although it comes with the longest processing times, most operators allow you to withdraw funds via paper checks.
Casino cage – Each Pennsylvania online poker operator gives you the option to make deposits and withdraw funds at their partnered land-based casino.
PayNearMe – Some operators allow you to make a deposit to your account through 7-Eleven and CVS stores.
As we’ve said, online poker in PA is offered through partnerships between brick and mortar casinos and iGaming software providers. It’s important to emphasize that, for the time being, PA poker sites are ring-fenced. This means that PA players can only play with other players within the state.
In the next section, we will take a closer look at some of the best online poker sites currently active in the US.
PokerStars officially became the first one PA poker provider to launch, having entered a partnership with Mount Airy Casino Resort, back in August 2018. The casino launched as soon as Pennsylvania online poker became legal, on November 4, 2019.
PokerStars is known for its well-designed platform with many considering it to be one of the best online poker sites. It is also the largest operator in the world, offering weekly tournaments, frequent promotions, and plenty of game variations.
Owned by GVC holdings, PartyPoker is one of the oldest poker-related brands in the US. The operator has been a hugely popular option with poker players New Jersey. The operator offers an excellent mobile platform that allows players to participate in up to 4 games. It is likely we will see it operating in Pennsylvania in the coming months.
Through its partnership with Harrah’s Casino and 888, WSOP.com currently has the largest player base in the business. Recent WSOP.com tournaments have generated massive attention, drawing crowds of new users. The website offers six-hand and nine-hand cash games, and Sit & Go tournaments. There are also games like Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha 8 or Better, and No Limit Holden tables.
In total, there are currently ten live poker rooms in PA. Here is the full list: