BetMGM Receive Approval for Pennsylvania

BetMGM has been given the green light to operate its online casino and Sportsbook in Pennsylvania

Online gambling has been live in Pennsylvania for over a year, and it continues to gather momentum. Last week, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board revealed that BetMGM was approved for a sports wagering operator license in addition to an interactive gaming operator license. The betting operator is now permitted to offer online PA sports betting and casino games in the Keystone State.

Big Name Coming to Pennsylvania

BetMGM is a well-known brand globally and will be one of the biggest names in the Pennsylvania online casino scene. The company has already enjoyed considerable success in the NJ online casino market and has signaled its intentions to expand by launching in other states with a legalized online sports betting and iGaming market.

Entering the Pennsylvania market has not been a smooth process for BetMGM. It has taken a long time, possibly longer than they initially thought, but it will be worth the wait for both the company and the state. Online gambling in Pennsylvania was legalized towards the end of 2017, although operations did not launch immediately. Sports betting sites appeared around 18 months later, and at the beginning, Pennsylvania was only allowing brands that were operational in the state to apply for licensing.

As BetMGM is based in Delaware, it was a waiting game for the company before state officials in Pennsylvania loosened restrictions for qualified gaming entities. BetMGM began the licensing process in January 2019, and by October, the company had paid a total of $12 million to get an online slot gaming license, table games, and poker.

Even after that vast outlay, there was still work to be done. Regulators ordered a full overview of the company before final approval was given. After a lengthy process, the Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement provided the Gaming Board with all of the reports and background information on MGM. Upon receiving this information, the board voted to approve the BetMGM applications unanimously.

One final hurdle still to be overcome is the required land-based partner needed for MGM to operate in Pennsylvania. There have been no indications of who that partner might be.

Online Poker a Possibility

BetMGM, in partnership with GVC Holdings, operates under the ROAR Digital brand. ROAR offers poker online in NJ via partypoker, and the company is hoping to launch online poker via the partypoker brand in Pennsylvania.

There is currently only one poker operator in the Keystone State, which is PokerStars. Work is underway to bring partypoker to the state, but this will take time. All being well, players should be able to access another online poker option in Pennsylvania in the near future.

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