- Hollywood and Parx casinos in PA have begun tests
- Official launch expected later this week or next week
- Rush Street consolidates its assets with a second state
Rush Street and GAN-powered Hollywood and Parx casino go ahead with an official brief testing session in Pennsylvania which precedes the full-scale launch.
Pennsylvania’s Casinos Lunch in Full for the First Time
Pennsylvania’s casinos have started launching their iGaming and poker products, with two properties, to name Penn National Gaming’s Hollywood Casino and Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment’s Parx Casino having already started on July 15, as expected.
Following multiple delays and the threat of a belligerent U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), all properties can finally roll out their products that include iGaming products and poker options. The testing stage has also been confirmed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), the regulator responsible for overseeing the industry in PA.
With the first tests concluded successfully, Parx and Hollywood will be tested again today between 2PM and midnight and 10AM and 8PM local time respectively. Both properties have struck deals with important software suppliers, to name IGT for Hollywood Casino and GAN for Parx.
Casino Tests in Pennsylvania to Continue
A third test will come on Wednesday, July 17 when Hollywood Casino will open its platform in a 12-hour window, between 8AM to 8PM local time. Should the test go without a hitch, the PGCB will give the final go-ahead for the properties to roll out their complete offer.
All tests will feature real gaming conditions whereby all participants will be allowed to register their personal accounts and place wagers online. Rush Street Interactive’s PlaySugarHouse.com will be launching tomorrow, July 17, under its new brand, Rivers Casino Philadelphia.
Rush Street is a relatively new name on the U.S. iGaming landscape. After a successful launch in New Jersey, Rush Street Interactive President Richard Schwartz has welcomed the opportunity in Pennsylvania saying:
“We thank the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, for authorizing us to be a part of history this week in bringing our online sportsbook and casino to gaming enthusiasts in the state of Pennsylvania.”
Mr. Schwartz also noted that Rush Street was now operating the same brands in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, being the first such company to achieve this. How the PA market develops will be of particular interest.
For starters, Pennsylvania is one of the most populous states in the United States. The tax that companies had to pay for a license reached $10 million as part of a discount package and up to $4 million for individual licenses if bought after the initial offering.
Pennsylvania voted and agreed on expanding its gambling verticals to include poker and iGaming products back in 2017 when Governor Tom Wolf signed the expansion package. Pennsylvania has over 10 properties that will be expanding in online casinos and poker.
Hopes are that the inclusion of Pennsylvania in online poker would help New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware see their poker activities start turning better numbers, courtesy of the shared-liquidity scheme that will now include PA.