PGCB re-opens petition period for 12 igaming certificates

As the state’s fiscal year came to a close, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board published a record figure for yearly tax revenue - standing at over $2.3bn for 2022/2023.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is now accepting petitions from casino operators to become Qualified Gaming Entities in the Keystone state, with 12 remaining certificates on offer. 

Upon the receival of one of these certificates, these Qualified Gaming Entities will gain the ability to operate online without having any ties to a Pennsylvania casino.  

Primarily focusing on company’s currently operating in jurisdictions outside of Pennsylvania, this re-opened petition period will begin on January 3, 2023 and will run for two months until March 3, 2023. 

This is the second time that the PGCB has made igaming certificates available to entities without a land-based presence in Pennsylvania, with the first period having taken place in late 2018. 

The 12 certificates on offer will cost operators $4m each and are offered in three separate categories. 

Three certificates are for games which simulate slot machines, with three certificates for bank table games which simulate casino table games played against the house. The remaining six certificates are for non-bank table games, which generally refers to poker games. 

The PGCB is tasked with overseeing all aspects of gambling in the East-coast state, involving 16 land-based casinos, online casino games, retail and online sports wagering and video gaming terminals at qualified truck stops, in addition to the regulation of online fantasy sports. 

Last month, the regulatory board issued a warning to stop players from leaving their children unattended ahead of “one of the busiest periods of the year”, following a recent spike in this behaviour which led to an awareness campaign.