Two massive gaming companies will finally launch in Pennsylvania on Monday. The first Monday of November will be the beginning of a new era, one with DraftKings Sportsbook and PokerStars set to go live in Pennsylvania.
After a Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) meeting on October 30th, DraftKings Sportsbook received approval for a sports wagering license, and plan to be the sixth sportsbook to launch online betting in Pennsylvania. DraftKings Sportsbook gets a much-needed “win” in Pennsylvania after being months behind top competitors FanDuel Sportsbook, BetRivers, and others.
In addition, the PGCB meeting concluded with online poker being brought to Pennsylvania. Well, the first step at least. The November 4th launch is a soft one for PokerStars, as it will be full of testing to come. Either way, great news on the poker front in Pennsylvania.
DraftKings Sportsbook App in PA
With DraftKings receiving their “Sports Wagering Operator License” in Pennsylvania, there is a short test period which will start on November 4th. If all goes well (as expected), bettors can be ready to use DraftKings Sportsbook in Pennsylvania around November 7th.
DraftKings soft-launch sportsbook testing days/hours:
- Monday, Nov. 4: 4:00 p.m. – 12 a.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 5: 2 p.m. – 12 a.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 6: 12 p.m. – 12 a.m.
DraftKings online Sportsbook and mobile app can operate in PA via a partnership with Meadows Casino in Washington, PA. Penn National Gaming owns the Meadows Casino and Sportsbook. DraftKings entrance to the PA Sports Betting market came via a massive deal back in July. The DraftKings launch comes a week after Penn National Gaming ended their partnership (in Pennsylvania) with William Hill, moving to Kambi technology instead.
DraftKings Sportsbook will now join a very bet-friendly demographic in Pennsylvania, a state that bet nearly $200M in betting handle in September, which is a massive number given how early in “the game” it is for Pennsylvania. With FanDuel Sportsbook taking well over half the bets, DraftKings will be a much-needed boost in competition to the industry in Pennsylvania. In the New Jersey Sports Betting market, FanDuel and DraftKings are neck and neck, respectively. Assume the same to happen in Pennsylvania.
PokerStars Pennsylvania
With all the news about sports betting, don’t forget that online poker is FINALLY close to being a reality in Pennsylvania. PokerStars soft launch will also take place Monday, November 4th in PA.
There are some questions to answer, though.
Who Can I Play Against on PokerStars PA?
With the current law in Pennsylvania, online poker is only available and legalized on an intrastate format. This means you will only be able to play against other Pennsylvanians. This means PA residents are not able to play in the huge tournaments that PokerStars PA offers, but as the popularity grows expect to see larger tournaments in Pennsylvania.
How Can I Get Started?
You will need a few things to sign up and play online poker in PA:
- 21 years of age or older
- Must be located in the state of Pennsylvania. This is not limited to residents only.
- When you sign up, there will be a process that includes using your personal information such as name, address, date of birth, etc.
- PokerStars is only available in Pennsylvania to play against others in Pennsylvania
- Use Pokerstars Casino promo code
Do not expect enormous growth from poker right away, as it pales in comparison in other states (like New Jersey) in terms of revenue and total players.
With that being said, online poker is now here in PA!
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