Play on the Best Casinos in Pittsburgh in 2020

Online casinos have been launching in the state of Pennsylvania since 2019. This is great news for players in Pittsburgh! Access the most popular online casino games through your phone or desktop while in the comfort of your own home. All PA online casinos offer online slots, online poker, and online table games. As long as the player is located within the state borders of Pennsylvania and 21 years or older, then you’re free to play online whenever you want.

Discover the best online casinos for Pittsburgh players right here in our casino guide. We examine each online platform, mobile apps, and how you can get started playing online today.  

Our top-rated casinos for 2020

Hollywood Casino

The Hollywood online casino is powered by NetEnt and IGT and has also struck deals with PlayBingo and PlayPoker to ensure a large online game library. 

The welcome package offered is a free $25 in bonus money that new users can put towards testing out the site games. You’ll also get a 100% match on your first bonus up to $500! Make sure to use the promo code WELCOME upon registration. Hollywood Casino online boasts a wide variety of slot games as well as five different versions of Roulette, blackjack, and video poker. 

SugarHouse Casino

It seems that SugarHouse is at the top of the game when it comes to the best online casinos in Pennsylvania. You can sign up now and receive a 100% match on your first deposit with a 1x wagering requirement. Use the promo code 250MATCH. With some of the best bonuses and largest game libraries in the market so far, it’s easy to see how this casino has made its name in the state. 

The online casino hosts a mobile app available on Android devices. iOS users will need to use their mobile browser and have a geo guard software downloaded. You can access the online casino from most internet browsers like Firefox, Safari, and Google Chrome.

SugarHouse features over 100 game titles from companies like IGT, NetEnt, and Konami. We expect live dealer games to be added shortly as well. 

Parx Casino 

Parx Casino was second to launch an online platform in PA, following behind Hollywood and just beating PlaySugarHouse. The online casino is powered by GAN software, which already has experience in the American market thanks to its partnership with Betfair in New Jersey. Parx casino online is available on iOS and Android apps and has a great welcome deal for new players. 

You can claim a 100% match deposit up to $500 with the code “PARX500.” Parx is also giving new players 500 free spins to use on select slot games! You’ll receive 100 per week, for 5 consecutive weeks. 

Our newest casino reviews 2020

We are always looking for the best casinos online to recommend to our Pittsburgh players. Make sure to stay up to date on the latest casinos and offers, by checking our page regularly. 

There are currently 10 online casinos in Pennsylvania: 

• BetAmerica
• BetRivers
• SugarHouse
• Hollywood at Penn National
• Parx
• Unibet
• FanDuel
• DraftKings
• PokerStars
• Caesars 

How to find the best casino in Pittsburgh

Before a player puts down any real money, there are few things to be taken into consideration before choosing the best casino in the state. 

The casino software, online bonuses, and games offered are all important to making an online casino stand out from the rest. In such a competitive market, it’s in the casino's best interest to keep the online players happy and coming back for more. 

Find out what Bonus and Promotions they offer

Every online casino in PA offers and will continue to offer players all sorts of different bonuses. This could be a free $25 just for signing up, or a 100% match up to $250 after your first deposit. Whatever the bonus might be, casino operators know this is how to keep players happy and coming back for more.

Before you claim a casino bonus, make sure you understand the wagering requirements. Some will want you to wager a lot of money before coming even close to clearing the bonus. For example, if a casino is offering a 100% match up to $500 with a 40x wager requirement, you will need to spend $4000 on games before being able to withdraw your winnings.

Most casinos online will also have certain games that only apply to the wagering requirements attached to the bonus.

We’ve listed the most common types of bonuses Pittsburgh players will see online. 

Welcome bonus

Every online casino has a welcome package ready for new players. These usually include a no deposit or match bonus. When you sign up, enter the applicable promo code and make the minimum deposit to receive the bonus. 

No deposit bonus: Claim this type of bonus right after completing registration. No deposit required. 

Match bonus: Have your first deposit matched by 50 to 100%.

Free Spins

Free spins are often rewarded during online slots games but have recently been including in welcome packages. Parx is currently offering 500 free spins to new players who complete registration and deposit $10! The spins are given out every week at 100 a time. This is a great way to get players attracted to your site and advertise new games. 

Free spins reward you in online slot games and often result in some big winnings. It’s one of the most exciting features of slots online. 

VIP Program

A lot of online casinos offer VIP programs for regular players to join. You can collect points in these programs to use towards perks either online or at the land-based venue. It’s great for regular players, as you receive points for the amount you wager and play. 

If you know you’ll be playing online a lot, it would be in your best interest to find a casino offering a good loyalty program. It’s the best way to be profitable down the road, and enjoy perks offline as well as online. 

Check their Games and Providers Selection

There are many big-name software companies looking to make their mark in the Pennsylvania online gambling scene. Providers like IGT, NetEnt, and NextGen have partnered up with PA casinos to help them launch their online platform. This means players can look forward to online casinos featuring quality software and top-notch games.

Online Slots Selection 

Online slots are by far the most popular game featured on online casinos in Pennsylvania, offering players hundreds of titles to choose from. Compared to slots found in the land-based casinos, online slots have much faster playtimes, instant payouts to players, and a large selection to choose from. 

Poker Rooms

Online poker has finally come to Pennsylvania, thanks to PokerStars! The world-renowned poker company has integrated a poker platform with the online casino. Players will be happy to see more sites start putting out poker games featuring software and platforms from companies like 888 Poker/WSOP.com, and Rush Street Interactive. 

Online blackjack

All online casinos in PA have a version of blackjack to offer players. The house edge stays low at 0.40 percent and return-to-player rate of 99.6 percent. 

The PGCB regulates the rules for blackjack as following: 

• Blackjack pays 3:2
• Soft 17 means the dealer stands
• Can double down on any two cards
• Except for aces, players can split up to three hands
• Double down after splits
• Half of the bet placed is allowed to be given up when the dealer doesn’t have blackjack; this is called late surrender.

Live Dealer tables

Unfortunately, players can not access live dealer games in PA just yet. These games are extremely popular in the online industry and have taken the market by storm over in New Jersey. We have seen live providers move studios into the state, which means it’s just a matter of time before the first casino launches a live dealer game. 

Game Providers Available

Keep an eye out for the following top game providers in the industry: 

• NetEnt
• IGT
• NextGen
• Williams Interactive 
• Everi 

Learn about their Payment Methods

Payment methods are very important to consider. You want a casino that accepts your preferred way to pay, and will transfer your funds quickly. While many online casinos offer a great selection of deposit methods, withdrawing is a bit more limited. Make sure you’re aware of potentially facing any extra fees, and if your payment method will be declined. 

Popular Casino Deposit Methods

A good online casino will offer the most common payment methods, which include:

• Prepaid card 
• ACH/eCheck
• PayPal
• PayNearMe
• Credit cards 

If a casino offers the above, you're in good hands. Credit cards can be used for depositing but are often rejected. We recommend speaking to your bank and knowing your options before starting to play online for real money. Depositing and withdrawing should be an easy process with any online casino as well as accessible through mobile apps. 

Make sure they have a good Customer Support

You might not read "customer support" and consider it to be that big of a deal. However, this is the team you will be trying to contact first when you run into a problem. It says a lot about a casino if the customer service makes an effort to keep their players happy and content. 

Most of the time when a player needs customer support, it's to resolve a problem quickly and efficiently. Stay away from the online casinos in Pennsylvania that don't reply to you for days and ideally, look for those with the 24/7 Live Chat options. Most online casinos also have an FAQ section which is a great place to start for non-emergency problems. 

Download their Mobile application

It's important a casino has a mobile app because players need more than one option for online play. A lot of people would much rather sit in their favorite chair, or even stay in bed, to play their favorite casino game than have to attach yourself to a computer desk. 

Casinos nowadays make most of the revenue off mobile apps and browsers so if a casino isn't supporting some sort of cell phone platform, we can't help but raise an eyebrow. It doesn't have to be a complete replica of the desktop version because most of the time the game libraries on mobile will be smaller, however, good graphics and some game variety are definite musts.

How online casino differs from land-based 

If you’re hesitant to start playing online, we're here to tell you why it would be worth it to start today! 

Hundreds of casino games available at your fingertips, without having to leave the comfort of your own home and travel to a land-based venue. 

Claim bonuses exclusive to online casinos and play for real money. Online casinos will let you play select games on the site for free.

Compared to land-based venues, the house edge on online casino games is much lower. Due to cutting expenses on what it would cost to get to a brick and mortar, online sites seem to offer players better value for their money.

Virtual vs. Live Dealer Casino 

You will soon be able to play live dealer games in the state of PA. These games differ from the popular virtual casino because of the croupier used. Instead of RNG software, you will interact with a live dealer who performs everything in front of you. The player is in control at all times as the dealer only does as instructed to. It's a great way to get a real casino experience without having to physically be there.  

Mobile Casino

Most online casinos earn the majority of revenue through its mobile players. This makes perfect sense in today's day and age if we look at how attached people have become to their phones. Now, mobile platforms might be even more important than desktop and could be the deciding factor on how successful an online casino is. 

We have listed our top mobile casinos for Pittsburgh players below: 

Hollywood Mobile Casino

Hollywood Casino's mobile app is probably one of the best in the PA market right now, offering players more than 60 slot games to choose from including Divine Fortune, Cleopatra, Wolf Run, and Da Vinci Diamonds. The app also features popular casino table games like blackjack, roulette varieties, and baccarat, as well as different versions of video poker by Game King. 

Players using their Android phone can head over to the Hollywood Online Casino site where they will see a link to download the app and iOS users can find it in the App Store.

SugarHouse Mobile Casino

The app is very similar to the SugarHouse casino desktop platform and includes features like banking options, demo mode games, bonus and promotional offers, customer support, and more. The game library is the biggest for mobile apps in PA right now with a lot of popular slot titles and has also integrated its sportsbook with the app.

Parx Mobile Casino

Parx Casino launched online shortly after Hollywood with a mobile app. The good news is that it's available to both iOS and Android users at the Google and Apple Store. Reviews seem to rank the app quite high.

The game library offers the basics like online slots, blackjack, roulette, and Game King video poker. Part of the features on the app include the Xclub rewards integration, free daily bonuses for playing, and a live leaderboard. 

How to play on an online casinos

Getting started with an online casino is extremely easy for Pittsburgh players. We have a step by step guide on how to register with a casino, starting with the requirements and ending with making your first deposit. 

Check the Casino Requirement

In order to play online for real money, you must be located within the state and at least 21 years of age. You can create an account and access your information outside of the state, as well as play games for free. Every legal online casino that we recommend is licensed in Pennsylvania and monitored by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. 

Make sure to opt-in for a Welcome Bonus

If you are claiming a welcome bonus upon signing up, the steps are again, fairly simple. After you have made your first deposit to whichever PA online casino, you'll need to check your account inbox to see your bonus. From there, just hit "Claim" and watch it enter into your account to start playing with! 

Remember to always check the wagering requirements before claiming a bonus, as some of them are very high and might end up not being worth your time.

Some casinos will ask you to input a promo code to claim a bonus at registration but if you would rather wait, you can always go back after your account has been verified by the casino. 

Submit your contact details

Each casino form will look a bit different but they will all require the same basic personal information in order to verify you're legally allowed to be playing online.

Expect to fill out the following information: 

• First and last name 
• Date of birth 
• Email address
• Home address
• City/Town
• Bankroll currency
• Social Security Number 
• Username 
• Password

By law, you will be asked to verify all the details you just put in with the following documents. Depending on the casino you might only have to provide one credential but some may also ask for multiple, so better to be prepared. 

• Passport or driver license 
• Bank statement
• Utility bills 
• Credit or debit card number 

Watch out for a verification email or SMS

You will receive an email from the casino specifically asking you to verify your account by following a link. Sometimes, casinos also allow you to do this by text message. 

A lot of the time players are asked if they would like to opt in to receiving emails/notifications for newsletters, promotional, and bonus codes. This is the choice of the player who can decide to opt-in or out of as many options as they would like.

Once verified, deposit your first playing funds

After all of the necessary information has been input and verified by the player and the casino, then you have officially completed the signup process and can start playing for real money! This means you can start funding your new account. 

• Visit the "Deposit" page usually visible in the casino drop-down menu.  
• From here, you will want to choose your preferred payment option. We recommend checking with your bank about associated fees and time restraints before committing to the casino. 
• Enter the account details, and make sure they are correct and yours, not someone else. 
• Select the amount you wish to deposit and confirm. 

Once you have made your deposit, it’s a matter of finding a game you want to play and hoping you get lucky!   

How to make money playing at online casinos

Everyone wants to make money playing online. Of course, there is no full-proof strategy that puts money in your pocket 100% of the time, but, there are a few tips and tricks you can apply that could benefit you in the long run. 

1. Look for games with high RTP. This is the percentage the game is expected to pay back to players over time. 
2. Find good bonuses and promotions. 
3. Don't spend all your money at once. Take the time to learn the rules and strategies for different games. 
4. Practice games of strategy in demo mode before playing for real money.   

How do you withdraw money from a casino?

Withdrawing your cash from an online casino is just as easy as depositing. You won't have nearly as many options, but the process is quite simple. 

Each casino has a list of payment methods available to use to withdraw. You will need to find the one you prefer and ideally with short process time. On average, most casinos take about 24 hours to a few days to verify a withdraw and put it into the player's account. The approval time also depends on the type of payment method selected. 

Once everything has been approved, you will see the money automatically enter your selected account. 

How can I tell if a casino site is legit?

It's easy to tell the difference between a legal online casino and an offshore site. To start with, we only recommended legal online casinos here. Often, illegal sites will not require much information from you except your bank account details. Legit casinos require a long list of personal info, as explained before, and monitor your location whenever you play online. This is because it is against the law to play for real money outside of the state's borders. 

How secure are online casinos?

Legal online casinos are very secure and use top-notch security software to protect players' information and privacy. Each casino has a detailed privacy policy you can read which explains who could potentially have access to your information and the ways it is used. 

Conclusion

The online casino industry in Pennsylvania has grown immensely over the past year. Hundreds of new games added, new operators and game providers striking deals, online poker launched. We understand how this can all be intimidating to a new gambler, which is why we're here to tell you - it's really not as crazy as it looks. Using our guide, you can take the time to find a casino you like, learn the platform, and how to sign up. Claim the welcome bonus offered for an even better way to get started. For everything you want to know about online casinos and the PA industry, make sure to check our casino guide page regularly for updates.