Poker Writer
Pennsylvania online poker sites are arguably the best in the United States. Plus, for all you trivia fans out there, the Keystone State is the most populous state with legalized real-money online poker.
Discovering the best PA poker sites means you can claim the biggest bonuses and play the softest games. You can also brush up on the latest laws around playing online poker in Pennsylvania (spoiler alert – you’re all good).
Best Pennsylvania Online Poker Sites
Top PA Online Poker Sites Reviewed
Before we delve into bonuses and all that fun stuff, let’s start with a quick analysis of the best online poker sites Pennsylvania has to offer.
Best PA Online Poker Site Overall – CoinPoker
If you’re only looking to play online poker for real money in Pennsylvania at one site, make it CoinPoker. This site ticks pretty much all the boxes, from instant crypto withdrawals to generous rakeback and innovative events.
Welcome Bonus: 150% up to $2000- Promo Code: PSCOUT
- Minimum Deposit: $10 USDT
Welcome Bonus: 150% up to $2000- Poker Games Variety: NLHE, PLO, PLO5
- Rakeback: 33%
- Mobile Version: Android
Features
CoinPoker is known for being one of the best crypto-friendly poker sites, even though it has started to accept fiat in some countries. Not only can you deposit with tokens including BTC and ETH, but it has its own coin, called CHP.
Why does this matter? Because holding a stack will earn you 33% rakeback, paid every week, even if you’re a casual player.
Some legendary high-stakes cash game pots have taken place on the site, including the record-breaking $7.7 million win by co-owner Tony G at an Omaha ring game.
But it’s also a brilliant poker site for casual players. There’s lots of new blood here, and the quality of play in lower-stakes MTTs isn’t great. CoinPoker also runs exciting and innovative promotions, including the chance to win a sponsorship and become a pro.
Pros
- Get 33% rakeback
- Provably fair hands
- Rail high-stakes action
- Innovative promotions
- Backed by Tony G
Cons
- No app for iOS (yet)
- Only has Hold’em and Omaha
Our Verdict
CoinPoker isn’t just some fringe site letting you play with crypto, but is actually one of the best online poker sites in Pennsylvania and the world. That’s no exaggeration, with top pros, killer rakeback, a poker-player-first mentality, and provably fair hands using blockchain technology.
Best PA Online Poker Site for Smaller Tournaments – BetOnline
Launching back in 1991, BetOnline is one of the oldest online poker rooms in Pennsylvania, yet continues to outclass much of the opposition even in 2026.
- Welcome Bonus: 100% up to $1,000 + 21 tickets
- Promo Code: POKER1000
- Minimum Deposit: $50
- Poker Games Variety: NLHE, PLO, 6+
- Rakeback: RISE
- Mobile Version: iOS, Android
Features
It’s always a smart idea to check out your poker options at sites that also have a casino and sportsbook. At these types of sites, you’ll get a lot of players who don’t really know much about poker. They’d never sign up to a poker-only site, but may try their luck with some of their casino winnings.
BetOnline is perfect for this. It has some really serious tournaments, like its $100,000 GTD Main Event held every Sunday – yet the players are pretty soft. This is the same for Hold’em and Omaha cash games, which run 24/7 and have plenty of players at low- and mid-stakes levels.
When you play at BetOnline, your name will be anonymous. This is ideal if you’re trying to up your game and enter some smaller tournaments, but haven’t quite nailed down your strategies yet. If you make a mistake, nobody will be able to keep any notes on you for your next session. You get a fresh start every time.
There’s a built-in HUD, too. This lets you keep in-game stats on opponents, before resetting for your next game.
Pros
- $100,000 GTD Main Event on Sundays
- Anonymous tables
- Short, Deep and Mega stacks
- Built-in HUD
- Throw kooky emojis at players
Cons
- Fairly modest welcome bonus
- Not too many high-stakes games
Our Verdict
Any poker site that’s stood firm for well over 30 years is a pretty solid shout in our book. BetOnline impresses by staying modern, with throwables, HUDs and anonymous tables, while still attracting a steady stream of inexperienced casino players and sports fans to keep the games quite soft.
Best PA Online Poker Site for Easy Games – Bovada
We very rarely recommend a poker site with tough games, but few poker rooms are as easy to beat as Bovada. It also has some juicy guarantees, especially on weekends.
- Welcome Bonus: 100% up to $500
- Promo Code: PWB500
- Minimum Deposit: $20
- Poker Games Variety: NLHE, PLO
- Rakeback: Bovada Rewards
- Mobile Version: iOS, Android
Features
Bovada has a peculiar mix of features that make it quite unique, and also one of the easiest poker sites in PA.
On the one hand, it has anonymous tables, fast-fold games (known as Zone Poker at Bovada), and more than $2 million in MTT guarantees each week.
On the other, just a quick glance at its tables will show you it’s not like most poker sites. The software is quite basic, and lacks the cutting-edge features used at some of the best online poker sites around. This favors players looking for a quick, easy game, who don’t want to have to learn how all the little buttons and settings work. In other words, recs.
You can use desktop or mobile, and there’s also the option to play directly in your browser. Even though we prefer the experience of using proper poker software, downloading it can be a huge hurdle for casual players who don’t really know the rules. This gets rid of that barrier and opens the gates to inexperienced players.
Pros
- $2 million in weekly guarantees
- Soft players
- Play anonymously
- No need to download
- $200K GTD Main Event on Sundays
Cons
- Tables not very modern
- Limited to Hold’em and Omaha only
Our Verdict
There’s no pretending that the software and features at Bovada are cutting edge – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. One of the main things you should be looking for in a Pennsylvania poker site is games where you can win. With the lack of high stakes and the slightly garish color scheme on the tables, many pros will stay away from lower-level cash games and MTTs, which is awesome news for casual players.
PA Online Poker Bonuses to Claim
Here’s what’s in store, in terms of poker bonuses, from the leading PA online poker rooms.
Welcome Bonuses
All the best poker sites in Pennsylvania offer some kind of signup incentive. It might involve free tournament entries and access to exclusive new player freerolls, for instance. But, most commonly, there’ll be a deposit match offer.
This is determined by the size of your initial real money deposit. For example, CoinPoker has a 150% bonus up to $2,000 for PA poker players. If you only went for a $100 deposit would, you’d get a reward of $150.
The bonus won’t be paid as a lump sum, even at the very best online poker sites PA has to offer. Instead, it will be released slowly as you play.
Freerolls
Although not strictly a poker bonus, a freeroll is a tournament that doesn’t cost anything to enter, but offers real prizes to the winners.
Many Pennsylvania online poker sites run regular freerolls to help players build their bankrolls and sharpen their skills. For instance, you can join a $50 GTD freeroll at ACR every three hours, every day of the week. Each one is capped at 2,000 players.
Free Tournament Tickets
These allow you to enter real money tournaments without the need to pay a buy-in. It’s not the same as a freeroll, as everyone else is paying to enter.
Free tournament tickets might be awarded as part of a welcome pack at PA poker sites, but some sites give them to loyal players, too.
Rakeback
When playing online cash games, a small deduction is taken from the pot which goes toward funding the site. This is called “rake”.
But many sites return a percentage of these deductions to players as a kind of loyalty bonus. This rebate is known as “rakeback”. One of the best poker rakeback deals in PA is the one at CoinPoker, awarding all players 33% on all cash games and tourneys.
Reload Bonuses
Some online poker rooms thank players for topping up their accounts with deposit match bonuses or other perks.
The most common type of reload bonus is a deposit match offer, though the percentages are usually smaller than those seen in welcome packages. Expect a figure in the region of 10% to 50%.
VIP Rewards
The best sites for real money poker in PA understand how important it is to keep players happy. That’s why they offer a structured loyalty program which rewards the most consistent players.
Loyalty perks could include more favorable rakeback deals, exclusive tournaments access, enhanced customer support, improved deposit limits and free tournament tickets.
At ACR and Black Chip Poker, Pennsylvania players are automatically opted into a rewards program. You can also contact support to flick over to a flat rakeback stucture, which is better if you’re not hitting a high volume of games.
How to Play Pennsylvania Online Poker
It’s easy to play online poker for real money in Pennsylvania. The best online poker sites in Pennsylvania currently include:
CoinPoker- BetOnline
- Bovada
- ACR Poker
- Black Chip Poker
CoinPokerOur number one choice for online poker is, without a doubt, CoinPoker. World-famous poker legend Tony G has helped develop this brilliant cryptocurrency online poker site on their independent network.
The site is home to a number of fantastic tournaments and satellites, with upwards of $700,000 in total guarantees every single weekend. That includes the $200k GTD Nemesis, which runs every Sunday at 15:05 EST. If you’re willing to pay the hefty $5,000 buy-in, it’s one of the best high-stakes options for online poker in Pennsylvania.
Getting setup on CoinPoker is fast and easy. You’ll be able to play PA online poker in no time after completing a few easy steps.
- Choose a Pennsylvania poker site. Take your pick from our list, including CoinPoker and other top choices.
- Create your account – All you need to do is to sign up using your username, email address, your address, and your date of birth.
- Download the software – You’re able to download the free poker software to your computer and, usually, your mobile. Some sites, such as Bovada, also offer an instant-play option.
- Make your first deposit – Be sure to check out the welcome bonus before deciding how much to deposit.
- Adjust your settings – Make sure that you’re all set up with your favorite bet sizings, deck colors, table backgrounds, and more.
- Jump into the action – Enjoy the wide selection of cash games and tournaments.
Pennsylvania Online Poker Sites Ranked by Traffic
[get-site-rank country=”Pennsylvania”]How We Rate PA Online Poker Sites
There’s a lot to think about when deciding where to play online poker for real money in Pennsylvania. The following criteria are the most important factors when choosing the best poker sites in Pennsylvania.
- Low rake. Although rake is necessary, minimizing the amount paid has a positive impact on your bottom line. You’ll pay minimal fees at the best poker sites in PA.
- High traffic. There can be no online poker games without opponents. It’s important that your chosen site sees a steady flow of players.
- Beatable games. The proportion of strong regulars to amateurs is just as important to consider. Consistently playing against tough opponents is bad for business.
- Tournament guarantees. Any site running regular tournaments that promises huge guaranteed prize pools is a winner. The bigger, the better.
- Positive reviews. The online poker community is a small one. If a site is doing anything untoward, word spreads fast. A positive reputation with real players matters.
Naturally, all of our recommended PA poker rooms online score highly in every one of these areas.
Accepted Payment Methods for PA Online Poker
If you want to play at the best online poker sites in Pennsylvania, you’re going to need a way to fund your account. The most commonly accepted payment options in the Keystone State are as follows.
- Debit and Credit Cards – Plastic is still the most frequently used banking method when it comes to online poker in PA. Visa and Mastercard dominate, though many sites also accept Discover and American Express cards.
- Cryptocurrency – Options like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether let poker rooms pay withdrawals in under a day. They have no fees and require less verification. No wonder crypto poker sites are growing in popularity.
- Ewallets – Some PA online poker sites accept ewallets like PayPal. These are particularly handy for storing your bankroll separately from the day-to-day funds in your bank account.
- Bank Wires – Although these are much slower than other payment options, most online poker rooms in PA still tend to offer them. There’s still some demand for bank wires, and a good site should cater to all players.
PA Online Poker Tournaments
Tournaments are one of the most popular ways to play online poker. It’s not only possible to enjoy hours of fun from your initial buy-in, but the potential rewards can be huge, too.
See below for a list of notable PA poker online tournaments:
- The Venom Main Event (ACR Poker / Black Chip) – $12.5 million guaranteed
- The Venom Mystery Bounty (ACR Poker / Black Chip) – $8 million guaranteed
- The Venom PLO (ACR Poker / Black Chip) – $2 million guaranteed
- Online Super Series Main Event (ACR Poker / Black Chip) – $1 million guaranteed
- PKO Super Series Main Event (ACR Poker / Black Chip) – $1 million guaranteed
- Golden Spade Poker Open Main Event (Ignition) – $500,000 guaranteed
- Black Diamond Poker Open Main Event (Ignition) – $300,000 guaranteed
- Nemesis Sunday Special (CoinPoker) – $200,000 guaranteed
- Sunday $150,000 Guaranteed (BetOnline) – $150,000 guaranteed
- Falcon Sunday Special (CoinPoker) – $150,000 guaranteed
Are There Pennsylvania Online Poker Real Money Apps?
It’s perfectly possible to play online poker in Pennsylvania using a mobile or tablet app.
If you’ve read our CoinPoker review, you’ll already be aware of how highly we rate that particular app. But many other top-quality options are accessible to anyone wishing to play online poker in PA.
Not all online operators have native poker apps for iOS and Android devices. But those sites still allow you to play online via a mobile browser.
| Real Money Poker Apps | Android (dedicated app) | iOS (dedicated app) | Windows | MacOS | Mobile Browser |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoinPoker | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ACR Poker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stake Poker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Black Chip Poker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| BetOnline | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ya Poker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sports Betting | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Phenom Poker | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bovada | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ignition | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Pennsylvania Live Poker
Live real money poker in Pennsylvania is everywhere, with a grand total of 11 casinos offering cash games, tournaments, and more.
In fact, Pennsylvania live poker is starting to rival Florida when it comes to the best poker state in the Eastern side of the country.
Where Can I Play Poker Live in Pennsylvania?
Thankfully, no matter where you are in the state, there’s a place for you to play. Here’s a quick look at the 11 poker rooms currently operating across PA:
- Parx Casino (Philadelphia) – Hosts major tournament events throughout the year and is home to a whopping 48-table poker room, making it the largest poker room in the state.
- Live! Casino Philadelphia – Live has quickly become one of the best rooms in Pennsylvania and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With 29 tables, Live hosts a ton of tournaments, including the Pennsylvania State Poker Championship.
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course (Granville) – After a brief closure, poker is back in Granville and recently opened a new poker room. Cash games are offered starting at noon from Wednesday to Sunday.
- Hollywood Casino at The Meadows (Washington) – The Meadows Poker Room features 14 tables with an open view of the live racing action on the track.
- Mohegan Sun (Pocono) – Another poker room that has downsized in recent years, now offering nine tables and hosts $100-125 buy-in tournaments four days a week.
- Mount Airy Casino Resort (Pocono) – The Poker Parlor at the Mount Airy Casino Resort features action on 12 tables and offers $1/$2 and $2/$5 NLHE as well as $2/$4 and $3/$6 Limit Hold’em.
- Wind Creek (Bethlehem) – This property, formerly Sands Bethlehem, was bought by Alabama’s Poarch Band of Creek Indians in 2019. The facility features 20 tables.
- Rivers Casino (Philadelphia) – Formerly the SugarHouse, it was rebranded to align with other Rivers casino properties. The poker room offers 28 tables.
- Rivers Casino (Pittsburgh) – 30 tables of NLHE and PLO action with tournaments offered two nights a week.
- Hollywood Casino Morgantown – Open from 12pm Thursday to Monday and offers NLHE, PLO, and PLO8.
- Live! Casino Pittsburgh – Much smaller than its Philadelphia counterpart, home to 7 tables and small tournaments five nights a week.
Legal and Regulated Online Poker in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania lawmakers started kicking the tires on online gambling legislation back in 2013. Rep. Tina Davis introduced legalization that would legalize online casino games and online poker. It was modelled on online gambling bills passed in New Jersey. But it was never really more than the start of the conversation.
The year ended with the PA Senate commissioning a study on the issue.
The Senate got what looked like positive results for online gambling from the study in 2014. Online gambling bills were then introduced in both the House and the Senate. By the end of the year, the Senate Committee on Community, Economic and Recreational Development held an online gambling hearing and Pennsylvania was suddenly seriously considering online gambling.
The legislature appeared more serious about online gambling in 2015, and it ended up in and out of the budget several times during deliberations. It ended up being out.
Every time lawmakers looked close to passing online gambling legislation in 2016, efforts were derailed by the consideration of even more gambling expansions across the state.
Can You Play Online Poker in PA?
Online gambling legislation was passed in October 2017, with the first sites launching in 2019. So, if you’ve ever wondered “is online poker legal in PA?” The answer is “yes”.
Aside from sites licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, it’s also possible to play at offshore poker rooms based in other countries.
Pennsylvania Online Poker Gaming Specifics and Regulations
All real-money online gaming operators within PA must follow strict gaming regulations. This ensures player funds and information are secure. Here are some of the regulations set by Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB):
- Players must be 21 or older.
- Sites must verify identification.
- Players must be inside state lines to play for real money.
- Sites must verify player location using geolocation software.
- Operators must pay a 16% online gambling tax on gross revenue.
Pennsylvania Online Poker Laws
The gambling expansion bill signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf on October 30, 2017, is officially known as H 271. It ultimately governs online poker in the state.
The new law tasked the PGCB with regulating the industry. The board is also tasked with handing out online poker licenses to qualified applicants.
The board began distributing licenses in August 2018. So far, several companies have received online gaming licenses.
Are Poker Winnings Taxable in Pennsylvania?
All cash profits from gambling are subject to state income tax, including poker. The rate is 3.07%. There’s also federal tax to consider. Some Pennsylvania gambling sites will hold back a percentage of your winnings to cover this, while all the best crypto poker sites leave it up to you.
FAQs
Is online poker legal in PA?
What is the legal age to play poker in Pennsylvania?
Are PA online poker sites safe?
Can I earn a deposit bonus for playing real-money poker?
When did online poker become available in Pennsylvania?
When will WSOP poker online be available in Pennsylvania?
References
- https://pokerindustrypro.com/news/article/221265-market-monitor-pennsylvania-june-2024 (PokerIndustryPro: Market Monitor: Pennsylvania June 2024)
- https://www.findlaw.com/state/pennsylvania-law/pennsylvania-gambling-tax-laws.html(FindLaw: Pennsylvania Gambling Tax Laws)
- https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2017/10/pennsylvania_senate_approves_m.html (PennLive: Pennsylvania Senate approves major expansion of legal gambling)
