Philadelphia, PA - Philadelphia residents have been legally allowed to gamble online since 2017, and all activities are regulated by the state of Pennsylvania and the Gaming Control Board. Ever since its legalization, the popularity of online casinos has grown significantly in the city, creating a rich gambling culture both offline and online. Let’s dive deeper into why online casinos appeal to Philadelphia’s gamblers.
Convenience and Accessibility
Like in many areas of the world, online casinos offer convenience and accessibility. Philadelphia residents can access online casinos 24/7 from their computers or mobile devices by going online to play and gamble. Unlike brick-and-mortar establishments, online casinos don’t have limited operating hours—even their customer support is available round the clock, too.
The added convenience? No need to travel. You can easily access hundreds of online casinos without ever leaving your home—or even your bed! Gamblers no longer have to travel to exotic destinations like Atlantic City—they log on, deposit some money, and play.
The convenience of these online casinos also extends to their payment options. With so many choices nowadays, players can choose from various methods to deposit funds—traditional ones like credit cards and bank transfers and more modern ones like e-wallets and cryptocurrencies, which aren’t available in physical casino buildings).
Variety of Games
In a traditional casino, the focus is heavily on table games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker. Slot machines and video poker games are seen as nice additions.
However, many online slot games are often the most significant feature at online casinos. Some online casinos have thousands of titles from hundreds of top global developers. There are many options, but you’ll never get through them all, even if you have tried. This makes online casinos appealing to all different types of gamblers. Many games are also available in demo mode, so you can also try them out for free.
Besides slots and tabletop games, you’ll also find live dealer games that replicate the authentic casino experience. These can be live-streamed from a physical casino or filmed in a studio setting.
Bonuses and Promotions
Unlike traditional casinos, online casinos have much more competition, so they offer plenty of bonuses and promotions to entice you to come and try and keep you coming back. You’ll find plenty of generous welcome bonus offers in Philadelphia. These include deposit match bonuses, free spins, and no-deposit deals.
Besides this, there are regular promotions like reload bonuses, free spins, and loyalty programs—so the fun continues even after the welcome bonus.
Safety and Regulation
Thankfully for Philadelphia residents, online gambling is legal and regulated in the state of Pennsylvania. This means players have plenty of safe and secure online casinos to choose from. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board ensures that all online casinos are licensed and regulated so they operate fairly.
This extends to security and responsible gaming, too. All top online casinos have high-level encryption protocols and security measures to protect their players' personal and financial information.
Licensing Requirements in Philadelphia
Per the state regulation, online casinos that want to operate in Philadelphia must:
- Hold a valid license from the PGCB.
- Pay taxes—16% on slots and 15% on table games.
- Pay a licensing fee--$10 million for online casinos and $4 million just for poker.
- Offer responsible gambling tools.
Social Aspects and Community
Although online casinos put some people off since they’re not as social as the real thing, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Some people choose to use online casinos just because of their social side. This is especially true for sweepstakes casinos based on just having fun and not serious gambling.
According to WSN.com, who among other things, writes about new sweepstakes casinos in the US, many online casinos develop their social side of gaming through forums, social media groups, and chat features within games. Lots of live dealer games have an ongoing chat so players can interact with each other and with the live dealer, which adds a community element to the casinos.
Ease of Learning and Play
For many, visiting a brick-and-mortar casino can seem a little overwhelming. If you don’t want to explore what Philadelphia has to offer physically, online casinos are easy to use. These days, anyone old enough (you must be 21 to participate in online gambling activities in Pennsylvania) will be able to find their way around an online casino and start playing. Most platforms have well-designed, streamlined interfaces that make gambling accessible for beginners.
If you find things tricky, free tutorials or guides often help you get started. So, if you’ve never played roulette, baccarat, or blackjack, you can pick it up quickly. Trying games out in demo mode can help with this, too. You may head out to a real casino once you’ve honed your skills—but most people stick to online gaming these days.
Finally, you’ll find excellent customer support if you choose a reputable online casino. Many sites have detailed FAQs in their help centers, but if you still can’t find the answer you need, the 24/7 live chat is spot on and can make your experience exceptional.
Why Online Casinos Appeal to Philadelphians
To summarize, there are so many reasons why Philadelphia’s gamblers are drawn to online casinos. Whether it’s their convenience, accessibility, game variety, safety aspect, bonuses, and promotions, or just because it’s easy, online casinos have much to offer. With new technology keeping things fresh, residents of Philadelphia will likely continue to love online casinos in the coming decades, too.
