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Pennsylvania legislation seeks more safeguards for online gamblers after a record year
A bipartisan package of bills would eliminate certain online gambling deposit methods, limit promotions, and strengthen protections for self-excluded gamblers.
Pennsylvania iGaming operators pulled in a record $2.78 billion in revenue last year, but some lawmakers want more responsible gaming consumer protections. State Reps. Tarik Khan (D-Phila) and Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) have introduced bipartisan legislation to provide better safeguards for PA online gamblers. Their series of bills seeks to add more protections, such as reduced deposit periods and limits on iGaming marketing.
Restrictions on push notifications, text marketing, credit cards & more
Dubbed Protecting Public Health in Online Gambling, Flick's and Khan's legislation breaks down into the following three parts:
- Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act – Would establish "reasonable limits" on the frequency of deposits into online gambling accounts. It would also limit text message solicitations and push notifications involving sportsbook and casino bonus codes, while protecting against youth-targeted gambling ads and expanding responsible gaming programs.
- Prohibiting Funding of Online Gambling – Seeks to prohibit credits from being used to fund accounts at PA online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites.
- Strengthening Self-Exclusion Protections – Would ban online gambling operators from sending promotions, advertisements, or bonuses (e.g., free spins) to gamblers who've self-excluded from Pennsylvania's gambling market.
Protecting young people and problem gamblers
Khan, who's been a certified nurse practitioner since 2011, views Pennsylvania's growing online gambling habit as a potential health challenge.
"As a nurse practitioner, I believe we should address problem gambling the same way we address other public health challenges: with prevention, education, treatment and commonsense safeguards," Khan stated via his website.
"Our bipartisan bill package will help protect young people, individuals and families while supporting responsible gaming."
Flick is primarily concerned with the number of young Pennsylvanians who are being exposed to ads involving sports betting, poker, and online casino games for real money.
"Too many young people are being exposed to online gambling through constant advertising and unprecedented access from their phones and devices," said Flick. "These bills are about putting reasonable safeguards in place, promoting responsible gaming and helping ensure that young people and families are protected from gambling-related harm."
New Pennsylvania online casino revenue record
The amount of revenue that Pennsylvania gambling sites are raking in continues to increase year after year. The $2.78 billion iGaming revenue figure from 2025 was up 27.22% from the previous year, when PA online casinos netted $2.18 billion.
While the Keystone State doesn't break its iGaming revenue numbers down by game type, we can reasonably assume that the bulk of it comes from real money online slots.
Sports betting also experienced a record year, hitting $602.5 million, up 17.97% from 2025. The vast majority of this amount came via online sports gambling.
While this revenue increase is good for some of the best online casinos and sportsbooks in the state, it can also spell potential underlying problems. Khan and Flick are seeking to reduce some issues through their bills.
Responsible gambling
Bettors must be 21 years or older and otherwise eligible to register and place wagers at online casinos. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please seek assistance from trained professionals such as the Problem Gambling Help Network at 1-800-MY-RESET.
Written by Jeremy Olson
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