Casino Oaks Pa
With several types of online gambling available in Pennsylvania, picking a site can seem overwhelming. If you’re feeling unsure about where to go, you’ve come to the right place.
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Casinos in Oaks on YP.com. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for the best Casinos in Oaks, PA. Find the Best Oaks, PA Casino Ships on Superpages. We have multiple consumer reviews, photos and opening hours. Valley Forge Turf Club. Casinos Bar & Grills Bars. 600 Cresson Blvd. Valley Forge Casino Resort. 1160 First Avenue. King of Prussia, PA 19406. 610-354-8118 Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or Contact ResponsiblePlay.PA.gov.
Below, you will find reviews for the best online casino and online sportsbook in Pennsylvania. We have carefully studied each site to determine what the strong suits are and, conversely, what things they need to improve.
We also discuss some of the challenges Pennsylvania’s online gambling market is facing.
With things changing almost daily, it can be challenging to keep up with online gambling news in the Keystone State. Hopefully, by reading through our information below, you can determine which sites best fit your online betting needs. Most importantly, you must be comfortable with the site and aren’t worried about anything beyond winning.
Best PA online gambling sites for 2020
Our best casino bonuses and offers
Online casinos offer bonuses to their patrons to promote loyalty for the site. This practice is especially true for new players; every online casino has an offer for those who register for the site.
Several online casinos are active in Pennsylvania. Here’s a rundown of what bonuses are available on the best sites right now:
Unibet Casino
Unibet online casino in PA is one of the top options in the state, with $10 free just for signing up and a 100% match of your deposit up to $500.
For the free money, use promo code UBCASINO10. For the deposit bonus, use promo code UBCASINO500.
The trusted brand from Europe is hoping to make a big splash in PA with the biggest library of games in the state.
Read ourUnibet PA online casino review
SugarHouse Casino
SugarHouse Casino offers new players a 100% deposit match on their first deposit. In other words, the site will match the player’s initial deposit dollar-for-dollar.
This bonus is good for up to $250. Best of all, PlaySugarHouse only requires a 1x playthrough on its bonus, so the money is quite easy to release. SugarHouse is the best PA casino when it comes to bonus offers.
All a new player needs to do is use promo code 250MATCH when he or she makes a deposit. This deposit bonus is likely the best available in Pennsylvania right now.
Read our Sugarhouse PA Casino review
Hollywood Casino
At first glance, Hollywood online casino’s bonus seems rather meager in comparison to the other two casinos. After all, $25 is not much compared to hundreds of dollars. However, this $25 does not require a deposit. It’s absolutely free.
All new players must do is register on the site. There’s no need to enter any promo code or other activity. As a result, the registrant will find $25 waiting for them.
Best of all, there’s only a 1x playthrough requirement. So, wager through the $25 once, and it’s ready for withdrawals.
Read our Hollywood Casino review
PA online casinos partnership tracker
The table below shows the Pennsylvania casinos that have applied for licenses. You can see their expected technology partners, and whether they have an additional online sports betting license.
| Casino | Online partners | Online Casino launch projection |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood (Penn National) | N/A | Launched July 2019 |
| Parx | GAN | Launched July 2019 |
| Rivers Philadelphia | Rush Street Interactive / Kambi | Launched July 2019 (PlaySugarHouse) |
| PokerStars Casino | 888 / PokerStars | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| Unibet | Kindred | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| FanDuel Casino | IGT / GAN | Launched Jan. 2020 |
| Presque Isle Downs | BetAmerica | Launched Jan. 2020 |
| Rivers Philadelphia | Rush Street Interactive / Kambi | Launched Jan. 2020 (BetRivers) |
| Harrah's | Scientific Games / 888 (Caesars) | Launched April 2020 |
| Wind Creek Casino | Pala Interactive | Launched July 2020 |
| Live! Casino | GAN | Launched Aug. 2020 |
| Barstool Casino | Penn National | 2020 |
| Hollywood (Penn National) | BetMGM | Launched Dec. 2020 |
| Golden Nugget NJ | NYX | Application pending |
Casino Oaks Pa
Best sportsbook bonuses and offers
Here’s a look at our welcome bonuses offers:
SugarHouse Sportsbook
SugarHouse Sportsbook was the first online sportsbook to open its doors in Pennsylvania. So, fittingly, the book has a great dollar-for-dollar welcome bonus.
New players at SugarHouse will receive a 100% match on their first deposit. All they have to do is enter promo code 250MATCH when entering their banking details.
Best of all, this match is good for deposits of up to $250. There’s only a 1x playthrough requirement, so it’s quite simple to release. Few bonuses are as good as this one in Pennsylvania right now.
Read our Sugarhouse Sportsbook review
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers’ online sportsbook does have a bonus that rivals SugarHouse’s deposit match. In fact, it’s the same.
Thanks to its shared corporate ownership, BetRivers and SugarHouse are sister sites. So, the two books are going to function as mirrors in many cases, including bonus offers.
Naturally, that means that BetRivers players can also receive a 100% match on their first deposits. This match extends up to $250.
New players must use the promo code 250MATCH to activate the bonus when they make that first investment. The 1x playthrough requirement is about as minimal as those restrictions get, so it should be no problem to recover a significant portion of free money from BetRivers.
Read our BetRivers Sportsbook review
FanDuel Sportsbook
To casual fans, FanDuel might seem like a strange addition to the sports betting landscape. However, the daily fantasy sports giant has become quite a force in online sports betting in the past few years.
So, Pennsylvanians can get a taste of what all the fuss is. New accounts at FanDuel online sportsbook will receive a risk-free bet of up to $500.
New FanDuel players don’t need a promo code to activate this deal. They simply must join FanDuel here and make their first wager.
There is a 1x playthrough requirement on the bonus, which means players must make another bet of equal size to release the funds.
Essentially, players are receiving two bets for the price of one. Still, that’s a great deal for most, mainly if one of them happens to win.
As an added bonus, there is also a FanDuel Casino integrated within the PA FanDuel sports betting app.
Read our Fanduel PA Sportsbook review
Full list of sportsbooks and partnerships
| Online sportsbook | Casino | Retail sportsbook launch | Online sportsbook launch |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlaySugarHouse | Rivers Casino Philadelphia | Dec. 15, 2018 | Launched May 2019 |
| BetRivers | Rivers Casino Pittsburgh | Dec. 15, 2018 | Launched June 2019 |
| Parx | Parx Casino Sportsbook | Jan. 10, 2019 | Launched June 2019 |
| FanDuel | Valley Forge Casino | March 13, 2019 | Launched July 2019 |
| Kambi/Hollywood | Hollywood Casino at Penn National | Nov. 17, 2018 | 2020 (Barstool Sportsbook) |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Harrah's Philadelphia | Jan. 24, 2019 | Launched March, 20020 |
| BetAmerica | Presque Isle Downs Casino | July 26, 2019 | Launched Dec. 2019 |
| Fox Bet | Mount Airy | Sept. 12, 2019 | Launched Sept. 2019 |
| Unibet | Mohegan Sun Pocono | Sept. 24, 2019 | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| DraftKings | The Meadows | Oct. 7, 2019 | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| N/A | Oaks Race & Sportsbook (Now Closed) | March 14, 2019 (permanently closed in July, 2020) | N/A |
| N/A | South Philadelphia Turf Club | Jan. 17, 2019 | N/A |
| N/A | The Downs at Lehigh Valley | Jan. 2020 (Unibet Sportbook) | N/A |
| Betfred Sportsbook | Wind Creek Casino | 2020 | 2020 |
| Live! Sportsbook | Live! Casino Philadelphia (2021) | 2021 | 2020 |
Many of these online sports betting offerings will eventually be tied to a PA online casino site. For example, Harrah’s will likely roll everything into its single Caesars Online Casino product. PlaySugarHouse offers a shared account between casino and sports betting as well.
The lone exception is if you are an iPhone user. Changes to the Apple app store guidelines make these shared apps difficult, so you might see a sports betting app before you get a real-money online casino app in the lineup. And there is a chance they will remain separate.
What’s legal and illegal for online sports betting?
Casino Near Oaks Pa
Few newly legalized activities come without rules and exceptions to their legality. Pennsylvania’s online sports betting is no different.
The good news is that Pennsylvania residents and visitors can wager on any professional, collegiate or international sporting events. The only requirements are:
- Be at least 21 years or older
- Be physically within Pennsylvania state lines
- Wager on an approved, regulated Pennsylvania site
However, the betting must occur on sporting events.
So, non-sports events, such as the Academy Awards or political elections, are not permitted for betting.
Finally, people who are intrinsically involved with a particular sport cannot wager upon it. So, players, officials, coaches, and other sports personnel cannot place bets on their own sports.
Concerning online casinos, most people can play without any restriction. Adults who are at least 21 years old are more than welcome to take part.
However, there is absolutely no online casino play allowed across state lines. The sites use geolocation software to monitor every player’s physical location. You must enable this function on your mobile device or you won’t be allowed to play.
The other exception is people who have placed themselves on the self-exclusion list. There is a separate self-exclusion list in Pennsylvania specifically for online play. Unfortunately, gambling addiction is a real problem, and online casinos are careful not to exacerbate the issue for people who are in recovery.
PA casino apps
With Pennsylvania moving into the online casino space, there are a few points about using these programs that bear mention.
First and foremost, it’s important to know that each casino app will figure out what device you’re using automatically. So, whether you use a laptop or a mobile device, the app will size the casino to fit your screen.
For the most part, every online casino has a browser version that will always work on desktops and some phones.
With that said, many casinos have a dedicated app specific to mobile use. If you are a mobile user, you may find the app to provide a smoother experience.
The mobile apps may also have greater functionality than the browser version. However, the game selection on the app can be smaller because some games don’t translate to mobile.
Finally, no matter which platform you use, you will have to go through some steps for the app to work.
Apple users should be aware all PA casinos or sportsbooks have a native iOS app.
Android users can play on all of the casinos in Pennsylvania but they will need to download the app from the casino website. The Google Play store does not support the distribution of gambling apps.
What online casino games are available in PA casinos?
Online casinos feature many of the same games that one might find in a land-based casino. Here are some of the types of games you may find at your favorite site.
Because of the laws requiring Pennsylvania-specific servers for any game providers to PA online casinos, the selection may not be what you are used to if you’ve ever played on a New Jersey online casino, for example.
Slots
The bread and butter for land-based casinos, slots, are the main focus for most online casinos too. An online slot is technically not a machine, but it functions identically otherwise.
A slot game will usually feature several rotating reels with various symbols drawn on them. The reels stop, and the player wins (or doesn’t) based upon the patterns the reels come to rest.
Many slots also feature bonus games or features that provide extra chances for players to win. Bonuses tend to be mini-games and have a higher chance of success than the slot game at large.
Each online casino in Pennsylvania offers a selection of games. That variety depends mostly on the deals each casino has with the game publishers.
So, the following is a list of the most popular slot developers and their games that are playable at the best PA online casinos:
NetEnt: At this time, all games on SugarHouse Casino are produced by NetEnt Games. NetEnt became an industry leader in the world of online slots by providing players with realistic games that replicated those in a Vegas casino. The list of games below includes the top games you will find at Pennsylvania online casinos.
- Blood Suckers II
- Dead or Alive
- Divine Fortune
- Drive: Multiplier Mayhem
- Gonzo’s Quest
Konami: Konami is a household name in the online casino industry. As of the time of writing, this slot developer is only available at select casinos and with only a handful of Konami slot games. Here is a list of games available at select PA casinos:
- African Diamond
- Ancient Dragon
- China Shores
- Full Moon Diamond
- Solstice Celebration
IGT: IGT is a massive global brand with more than 1,000 styles of slot machines in brick-and-mortar casinos and hundreds available online. But there is a limited number of IGT slots in Pennsylvania. This list includes the top games you’ll be able to find online.
- The Big Easy
- Cleopatra
- Crown of Egypt
- King of Atlantis
- Pixies of the Forest
Other game developers entering the Pennsylvania market include Incredible Technologies, Everi Gaming, GAN, H5G, and Slot Symphony.
Video poker
Video poker games are often lumped together with slots. The main difference is that players retain a certain measure of control over the way the game proceeds.
Video poker creates a virtual simulation of a typical five-card draw poker hand. The player receives five cards, can choose to hold as many as they like and then redraws.
The goal is to make a five-card hand that qualifies as a winner. Exactly which rank of hand is required to win varies from game to game.
Table games
Players who prefer a more tactile experience tend to stick to table games. These are games that use a virtual simulation of activities that involve playing cards, dice, balls, or prize wheels.
Blackjack
The most common table game is blackjack. This card game is a competition between the player and the dealer to see whose combination of cards can get closest to 21 in value.
The catch is that the player must act before the dealer and rely on incomplete information to do so. As a result, the casino retains a slight mathematical edge.
However, players can mitigate this edge by using basic strategy. Basic strategy is a widely published set of behaviors designed to play blackjack optimally.
Roulette
The second-most common table game is roulette.
This French version of the game is found in almost any casino with table games. In fact, PlaySugarHouse elected to launch three variants of roulette in its PA online casino before publishing any versions of blackjack.
Basically, roulette involves a randomly released ball falling into a spinning wheel with numbered slots. Players wager based upon which numbers they believe the ball will fall into.
When playing roulette, you will choose between European and American roulette. European roulette features only a single zero on the wheel and boasts better odds for the players. American roulette, on the other hand, features a 0 and a 00, worsening the odds for players.
There are a variety of choices and combinations of numbers that players can choose to bet. Roulette is a staple for casinos due to its pace of play and chance at incredible winnings. A correct bet on a single number will pay 35:1.
Craps
Craps seems to be a bit less likely to appear in PA online casinos. The game itself, which plays with dice rolls, a large tub-like pit, and myriad ways to wager, is likely a challenge for programmers to realize in a virtual setting.
Nonetheless, craps is a dice-based game, which involves players attempting to roll certain numbers on a pair of dice. Players wager based upon the likelihood of various combinations appearing on the dice.
The probability of those combinations often determines the prescribed payout for various wagers on the board. The casinos generate their profit margin by ensuring that the payout odds are worse than the event odds.
For example, a particular number may only have one chance in three of occurring, but a successful wager will only payout 2:1.
Other table games
Several table games are available from time to time at online casinos. These games are less common and, frankly, have a bigger house edge to them.
Nevertheless, they can be a fun option for someone looking for a change of pace. Some other table games include:
- Casino Hold ’em
- Caribbean Stud
- EZ Baccarat
- Let It Ride
- Pai Gow Poker
- Three-card poker
- Ultimate Texas Hold ’em
Live dealer games at PA casinos
People often speak about the “next big thing.” For online gambling in the US, live dealer games are that thing.
This style of online casino game has been nothing short of a revolution. It has propelled casinos in New Jersey to great heights. Live dealer games will come to a Pennsylvania online casinos as soon as the operators can get it off the ground.
Essentially, live dealer games are games dealt in real-time and broadcast live across the site. Real dealers run the games in an interactive studio located in or near the actual land-based casino itself. In fact, there are a few games conducted on the casino floor itself.
Players can place their bets, interact with the dealers, or even interact with one another. Some versions of live dealer games have even expanded to allow players to have multiple views of the game in action.
So far, the following games are available in a live dealer setting in New Jersey. Hopefully, they will appear in Pennsylvania soon:
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Casino Hold ’em
- Roulette
- Three-card poker
- Ultimate Texas Hold ’em
Stay on top of things with your favorite online site. Live dealer games are not something to miss.
More about PA’s legal online gambling industry
Online poker, online casino table games, and slots became legal in Pennsylvania as a part of a comprehensive gambling expansionpackagepassed by state legislators in October 2017.
The PGCB is providing regulatory oversight for the local online gambling industry. Casinos could get all three types of interactive gaming licenses at once for a $10 million licensing fee. The cost was $4 million each individually for slots, table games, and peer-to-peer games like poker.
There is no limit on the number of skins, or alternatively branded online gambling operations, that can operate under each licensee. However, regulations designed by the board stipulate branding for the skins must clearly identify the licensee. Plus, players can only create one account per licensee, not per skin.
Potential PA online casinos
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), there are 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos and two smaller resort casinos operating inside the state. Plus, a 13th casino, Live! Philadelphia, is coming to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex area, home of Philadelphia’s professional sports teams.
All of these PA casino operations could have applied for online gambling operator licenses in the state beginning April 16, 2018. The properties had until July 16 to turn in applications for a $10 million comprehensive interactive gaming license. With this license, casinos can offer online poker, online slots, and online table games.
There were nine casinos which applied:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Mount Airy Casino Resort
- Parx Casino
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
- Wind Creek (formerly Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem)
- Rivers Philadelphia (formerly SugarHouse Casino)
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- Live! Philadelphia Casino (under development)
After applying, Rivers Casino Pittsburg eventually rescinded its application, electing to punt on online gambling. Stadium Casino, now called Live! Philadelphia, did something similar, opting to forgo an online poker license.
Meanwhile, both Presque Isle Downs and Mohegan Sun Pocono applied for a la carte licenses. Presque Isle opted to skip poker. Mohegan surprisingly signed up for all three at a cost of $2 million more than its competitors. However, like Rivers and Live!, it too abandoned its online poker plans.
That left 12 unclaimed interactive licenses. PGCB opened up a process for qualified gambling entities (QGE) from outside of Pennsylvania to claim them.
Only two groups applied. MGM Resorts has preliminary approval for all three categories of license. Golden Nugget Atlantic City can offer table games and slots, but no online poker.
These two major US gaming players will be among the last to launch online casino and sports betting products in PA. They will also be the only sites without a PA land-based casino partner.
Potential PA online poker sites
The first online poker site to go live in the state was PokerStars PA when it fully launched on Nov. 6, 2019. The global poker brand is offered in conjunction with its land-based counterpart Mount Airy Casino Resort.
Today, 10 of 12 Pennsylvania casinos have poker rooms. Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin and Valley Forge Casino Resort are the only casinos in the state that do not have poker rooms.
More than 220 live poker tables are operating across the state with the 10 rooms pulling in an average of $4 million in revenue every month.
Plans for Live! in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex area include opening a poker room when the facility opens its doors in early 2021.
In addition to Mount Airy, six more PA casinos plan to offer an online poker counterpart. Those that will launch an online poker room in Pennsylvania (MGM is applying as an out-of-state entity) include:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Parx Casino
- Wind Creek Casino
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- MGM Resorts (QGE – no land-based partner)
PA online gambling site safety
PGCB will regulate all online gaming sites in the state. This is the same branch of the state government that regulates all land-based PA casinos.
Other important points regarding PA online gambling security
The regulations designed by PGCB will include several security measures specifically designed to:
- Ensure player balances are held in a separate account from operating funds
- Force sites to implement a rigorous player verification process
- Prevents minors from gaining access
- Deal with problem gamblers
- Force sites to implement geolocation software making sure all players are within the state
- All deposits and withdrawals are processed securely
(Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.)
Welcome to the new Wild West. Except, it isn’t limited to a specific geographic location west of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
In May 2018, when the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey, they delivered a fatal blow to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The federal law limited single-game sports betting to Nevada. Now, the decision to legalize sports betting — and strike tax revenue gold — lies in the hands of each state.
A new type of gold rush ensued after the Supreme Court struck down PAPSA. Seven states had legal sports betting markets by the end of 2018. As of the end of August 2019, it grew to a total of 12.
Pennsylvania was an early adopter, including a provision for sports betting in its 2017 gambling expansion package.
With rules and regulations varying from state-to-state, it only adds to the Wild West mentality.
If we are living in the Wild West, then the best place to start to tell the story is at the modern-day watering holes and O.K. Corrals. Our first stop was off-track betting (OTB) parlors, where we found people who love horse racing and a cast of characters more colorful than a Western black-and-white.
Welcome to the wild west of legalized Pennsylvania sports wagering.
Off-track betting
The Parx-operated Oaks Race & Sportsbook (formerly Valley Forge Turf Club) and the South Philadelphia Race & Sportsbook are off-track betting (OTB) facilities. Both opened in the mid-90s and serve as havens for horse betting. Customers equipped with the daily racing form, newspapers, and notebooks spend hours in the hunter green chairs watching races on the numerous televisions everywhere you turn.
Perhaps feeling like a moody pop star, Oaks Race & Sportsbook went through a few name changes before settling on one. When they started offering sports betting, it was rebranded to Valley Forge Race & Sportsbook.
However, with nearby Valley Forge Casino also in the sports betting game, it was a bit confusing. The name was changed again to its current iteration. Still, most people from the area simply refer to it as “the turf club.”
Would long-time regulars have to jockey for position at their usual table? Do sports bettors, whose regular action stays within major sports, have any interest in the No. 4 race at Gulfstream? Is there an impending turf war on the horizon?
Oaks Race & Sportsbook
Two electronic billboards before the Oaks exit on US 422 tout John Fogerty performing at Parx. A new strip mall with a Buffalo Wild Wings and Pizzeria Uno greet commuters off the of exit.
Welcome to suburban sprawl.
The area’s experienced substantial growth since Oaks Race & Sportsbook opened in 1996 as an OTB facility. A hotel opened next door in 2012. Across the street, The Marketplace at Oaks, a 513,000-square-foot upscale, suburban community center, serves as a major hub of retail.
On March 12, Oaks Race & Sports Book became the eighth location to accept wagers on sporting events in Pennsylvania. A $1 million renovation to refurbish the property added new amenities, betting kiosks, and a modernized kitchen.
Meet Rick and Mike
A few days before the Preakness Stakes, Rick and Mike sit outside smoking cigars.
It’s a perfect day to relax outside on Oaks Race & Sportsbook’s patio or your own. The pair would prefer to be inside watching the races. But the book doesn’t permit cigar smoking and limits cigarette smoking to one room.
“That’s the way it’s been for a few years, now. It was half smoking and half nonsmoking, but not anymore. A lot of people were upset about it at first. Now,” he said, throwing up his hands, “what are you going to do? You can’t smoke anywhere.”
Collegeville-area residents Rick and Mike have been betting on horses since the 1970s. They used to own a few horses in the mid-80s but have since “got out of that business.” Both are retired and spend a few days a week at OTBs, usually Oaks Race & Sportsbook. They go to Arby’s for lunch because they say the food got too expensive at Oaks.
“I don’t see anyone ordering food anymore,” said Mike. “I think it’s the prices. And there are too many other places that are closer where you can get better food cheaper.”
Occasionally, they go to the OTBs at Penn National Race Course at Hollywood Casino in Lancaster, the live races at Parx, and sometimes Delaware Park Race Track.
“We don’t golf, so this is what we do,” said Mike. “This is our entertainment.”
For them, the Oaks Race & Sportsbook is more of a social club. A place to see friends, other horse guys, and have a few cigars.
Rick takes a puff on a cigar and eyes a small group of men through the cloud of smoke. Clad in business casual, they enter and leave within five minutes.
The invasion of betting kiosks
In and out at the speed of touchscreen sports betting.
“We don’t like it,” said Rick of the new offering. “It’s gotten a lot more crowded. Most people that come here now are just betting on sports.”
“These new people, they ain’t betting on horses. Right now, they are coming here and betting on basketball, baseball,” said Mike.
“They are even betting on golf and tennis,” he said, followed by an eye roll. “How much do they even know about that?”
Inside, there are a decent amount of patrons throughout the club. There are tellers taking bets, along with 14 self-serve betting kiosks.
A few people, mostly gray-haired, and a few with oxygen tanks set up camp at the small cubbies with the races on personal televisions. Others are spread out at tables with racing forms, newspapers, and soft drinks.
There are signs of a summer Friday in progress. A group of office workers stroll in wearing company-issued polos and sit at a deep-corner table out of plain view. Another trio in button-downs and loosened ties laments going back to the office.
Meet Gary
At the bar, Gary’s eyes narrow on the screen. The Norristown resident’s once-pale complexion turns a bright-red hue. He clenches his fists and pounds them once on the bar.
The room comes to life when horses head for the homestretch.
“Get it!”
“Come on.”
“You got it, Seven.”
Gary expresses his disappointment in silence, scribbles some notes in the racing form, and takes a swallow of Miller Lite.
“I have to go to work tonight, or I’d have another one,” he said.
Since Oaks Race & Sportsbook starting accepting sports bets, Gary’s noticed more traffic coming in and out of the location.
“You got one of the last seats at the bar,” he pointed out.
“The horse guys, they come in, sit down with the racing forms, and are here for hours. The guys that bet sports, as soon as you walk in, there are kiosks,” said Gary.
An overwhelmingly under-40 crowd go directly to the sports betting kiosk, place their bets, and leave. A magnetic force pulls them in, and after a few pecks on the touchscreen, they were out the door without even a glance at the races on the television screens.
He’s a horse betting guy. His friends bet everything on their phone. He isn’t interested. He prefers taking time to pick horses and spending time watching the races.
“That’s too easy,” Gary said of betting over the phone. “When you come here, you’re putting more thought into it. It’s part of the process.”
As a longtime customer, Gary doesn’t mind the increased foot traffic. He knew legalized sports betting was coming.
It couldn’t have been clearer if it was one of those electronic billboards.
During Week 3 of the 2018 NFL season, he took a day trip to Atlantic City to check out Borgata’s sportsbook. It was his first trip to New Jersey in over five years.
“I’m not a beach person. Why would I want to go all the way to Jersey to go to a casino when Valley Forge, Parx and SugarHouse [are] closer?”
“All that money was going out of state, with Jersey, then Delaware … the state wasn’t going to keep letting that happen.”
Barstool equine economics
Pennsylvania casinos should seriously consider hiring Gary as a spokesperson.
“I love the horses and horse racing. My father and grandfather loved it, too,” he said. “Casinos support it. And they gotta do what they gotta do. So, you knew sports betting was coming.”
Gary takes the next few minutes to talk about horse racing. He is a regular here and at other OTBs. He says some people he knows have major issues with horse race funding in the state.
Casino In Oaks Pa
It’s not barstool bullshit.
In the mid-90s, the Pennsylvania Legislature introduced bills allowing slot machine gaming with the intention to support the horse racing industry. In 2004, the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act passed.
Casino In Oaks Pa
According to a 2017 report in The Inquirer:
“The horse-racing industry was handed a little more than 10 percent of that for the Race Horse Development Fund (RHDF). The $239 million given to the horse industry last year was larger than the entire budgets of several state departments.”
The Pennsylvania Equine Coalition, in a July 2017 letter to state legislators said:
“Virtually every piece of information about the state’s horse racing industry that the Commonwealth Foundation shares is inaccurate. The RHDF is funded by an assessment that casino operators agreed to pay on their slot machine revenues — an “obligation” they voluntarily undertook to offset the negative impact that the legalization of slot machines would have on live racing and the state’s agricultural industry.”
Casino Near Oaks Pa
Gary finishes his beer and decides to stay for one more race.
Parx Casino Oaks Pa
“Hey, you gotta place a bet before you go,” he called after me. “It makes it fun.”
“On horses or a game?”
Oaks Pa Casino
“Whatever you want.”