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What’s In The Cards For Pennsylvania Online Casinos In 2026
By Drew Ellis
Published:
Pennsylvania has definitely made its mark when it comes to online gambling.
The Keystone State is currently setting the standard for revenue from its iGaming industry.
Pennsylvania online casinos were the first to cross $3 billion in yearly revenue, doing so in November of this year.
With no real plateau in sight, what can consumers expect from online gambling in Pennsylvania for the new year?
PA Online Casinos to Easily Surpass $4 Billion in 2026 Revenue
Pennsylvania remains the US leader when it comes to gross revenue from online casinos.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board typically reports the adjusted gross revenue from iGaming, which subtracts any promotional dollars spent by the operators. We focus on the gross gaming revenue for the state.
Through 11 months, Pennsylvania is sitting at $3.14 billion in yearly online casino revenue. That is already far past 2024’s yearly record of $2.71 billion. Most of the revenue comes from online slots.
With December likely to draw anywhere from $300-325 million in additional revenue, the Keystone State will fall just shy of $3.5 billion in iGaming revenue for 2025.
That will keep the state in the continual pattern of revenue growth we have seen in recent years when it comes to online casinos.
| Year | Yearly OC Gross Revenue | Difference From Previous Year | Percentage Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $1,666,661,634 | $374,127,847 | 28.9% |
| 2023 | $2,105,591,497 | $438,929,863 | 26.3% |
| 2024 | $2,708,291,956 | $602,700,459 | 28.6% |
| 2025 | Estimated $3.44-3.47 billion | $730-755 million | 26.9-28.0% |
It seems hard to believe that online casinos can continue to grow at the pace we’ve seen, but the numbers don’t lie. Each of the last four years have seen the iGaming revenue increase 26-29%. If that holds up in 2026, that would push Pennsylvania well past $4 billion in yearly revenue.
Based on current estimates, Pennsylvania would be in line to produce $4.33-4.48 billion in 2026.
Prediction Market Debate to Find Common Ground
If there is a top story to the US gambling industry in 2025, it’s probably prediction markets.
These event contracts have created a lot of discussion for legislators across the United States.
With legal battles taking place in other states, you can believe that Pennsylvania is paying attention.
Originally, the markets were left to companies outside of the PGCB reach like Kalshi, Robinhood, and Polymarket. However, now licensed operators within Pennsylvania like DraftKings and FanDuel are jumping in and offering sport event contracts in other states.
That kind of action could force Pennsylvania to act, as other legal online casino and online sports betting states have threatened to take away the license of these operators for offering sport event contracts in non-regulated states.
Pennsylvania does have some protection on the matter, as they have established laws that would tax any kind of sports prediction markets sold by operators.
Still, 2026 feels like a turning point year for what will happen with this gambling platform. Either a legal precedence will be set, or state regulators will have to come to the table to find a common ground. These event contracts could lead to further tax revenue for the state if the PGCB can establish regulatory framework.
Otherwise, if a ban is legally established in one state, it could spark a domino effect that Pennsylvania would likely be included in.
Continued PGCB Efforts Against Sweepstakes Casinos
Another hot topic in 2025 was continued actions against illegal online gambling platforms in Pennsylvania.
Most of these sites fall into the “sweepstakes casino” definition, which are facing a lot of legal backlash in other states.
While Pennsylvania doesn’t have any formal legislative bans of these sweepstakes and social casinos, the PGCB has taken action against many of them.
Throughout 2025 the board has sent dozens and dozens of cease-and-desist letters to operators, forcing them to stop their operations in Pennsylvania.
Those efforts will definitely continue in 2026.
Not only does the state not see any revenue from those sites, but they also can’t provide protection for consumers who have a complaint to file against any of them.
On top of that, the PGCB has a responsibility to protect the operators they have licensed as well. Those online casinos that are legal in the state don’t want to be dealing with any unregulated competition.
Continued Game Innovations, Online Casino Personalization
Being the biggest US market for iGaming has its advantages.
Part of that is being able to be the first state to get new offers from top operators.
Pennsylvania will continue to see new US games debut in the state, while also getting opportunities to try out new formats.
Online casinos have tapped more into a personalized feel with the expansion of live dealer games, as well as cross-branded games and virtual tables between a retail location and their mobile app. The Keystone State should continue to be a leader in those categories.
Operators are also using Artificial Intelligence to create more of a personalized experience for each user. With each year that AI further develops, it creates more possibilities for the industry.
While it may be limited to personalized game suggestions, or personalized promotions for now, it could soon lead to greater achievements like actual game creation centered around each individual customer.
The end of each year seems to make the previous year’s advancements already look obsolete. Don’t be surprised if that happens again by the end of 2026.
Drew Ellis has experience covering the gambling industries in North America and around the world. Decades of media experience provide him with the background to handle the complexities of different gambling laws and policies around the United States and North America. Ellis has primarily focused on online and retail casino news since 2021. Prior to working in the gambling industry, Ellis spent over 20 years in the newspaper industry, covering sports and the gambling. His work for The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun and The Oakland Press was recognized with awards by the Associated Press and other media organizations. Drew has also contributed to the Detroit Free Press and the Associated Press.