New Bill Proposed for Online Gambling in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania legislature has introduced a new bill to more tightly regulate the rapidly growing online gambling industry. House Bill 2879, signed by eight Democratic and one Republican lawmakers, was prepared under the leadership of Philadelphia representative Tarik Khan. The bill aims to strengthen consumer protection in online sports betting and internet casinos.

Lawmakers argue that gambling addiction causes serious harm to mental health, financial security, and family life. Supporters, who are concerned about the spread of online betting habits especially among young men, also criticize operators' aggressive marketing methods. They note that time is limited for the bill to become law, since the General Assembly's 2026 session ends on November 30 and bills are not carried over to the following year.

Under the bill, players could make no more than two deposits within 24 hours. Credit cards and government benefit cards could not be used, and online gambling gift cards would be banned. The amount that could be deposited over a 180-day period would also be capped at $5,000. To exceed that limit, platforms would have to carry out a suitability check that verifies the player's income.

Rules would be stricter for users aged 21 to 25. Players in this group could place a maximum bet of $2 per game in casino games. Users who lose $750 in a day or $2,500 in a month would face a 30-day access restriction. Before their first bet, players would be required to set daily and monthly loss limits.

The bill would eliminate micro-betting and proposition bets in sports betting. Notifications encouraging bets, sign-up bonuses, and VIP programs would be prohibited. Terms such as "risk-free" could not be used in advertisements, and betting ads could not run between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. or during live sports broadcasts.

Opponents of the bill argue that strict rules could give an advantage to illegal offshore betting sites. They contend that because these platforms are not regulated in the United States and do not follow state rules, the regulations could weaken local operators. The bill has currently been referred to the House Gaming Oversight Committee.