Only players aged 21 or older adhere to the rules for legal sports betting in Pennsylvania. This applies to both online sports betting and sports betting at physical locations. 21 is also the minimum gambling age at casinos. In 2017, Pennsylvania legalized sports betting and with the striking down of PASPA, operators within the state of PA are now able to obtain a license and start offering real money sports wagering activities to anyone that is a resident of the state and is of legal age to gamble.
Sports betting is a hugely popular activity in the Keystone State, with Pennsylvania residents turning an estimated handle of some $10 billion wagered on athletics each year. As one of the larger cities in the state, Harrisburg sees a fair bit of action itself, though nothing on the level of the major sports areas like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Still, the Pennsylvania home-team fandom is not lacking in this industrial town, so it makes sense that Harrisburg sportsbooks would be a popular draw for the gambling public.
That said, there is really only one casino in the region: the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, located in nearby Grantville, PA. Though this may be the only land-based venue, it controls an area of the state’s market that is rather untapped. Our goal is to provide you with all of the data you need to understand the legality changes, current rules, and what to keep a lookout for in regards to Harrisburg sportsbooks.
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Is Sports Betting Currently Legal In Harrisburg?
Thanks to the Supreme Court overturn of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA, 1992), sports betting is currently legal in Harrisburg. This is because, in 2017, the Pennsylvania legislature formally legalized sports betting via Act 42, instituting a set of regulatory and taxation standards that would apply to the industry going forward.
Because the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course is – as its name suggests – run by Penn National Gaming (a large and wealthy gaming operator), the facility had a leg up in the licensing department. Their payment of the state’s $10 million sports betting license fee was paid almost instantly. With that, Penn National was seeing a return on its investment and it hasn’t looked back since.
Best Sportsbooks In Harrisburg
Right now, the best sportsbooks in Harrisburg are available solely over the Internet. Offshore sports betting sites like Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, MyBookie, BetDSI, and BookMaker have each been giving Pennsylvania residents fair lines and comprehensive sports betting boards for decades, and each site is free to join and 100% legal to use.
Of course, If you’re in the area and wanting to find a land-based venue, there is no better place than the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Raceway. Other casinos in PA surely have sportsbooks too, but none are particularly close to Harrisburg, with the nearest casinos and racinos to the city being located two hours away, in and around Philadelphia.
Options for betting include action on all the major US sports leagues as well as international lines for soccer, rugby, cricket, golf, tennis, and more. PA residents will be able to place spread bets, straight moneyline bets, over/unders, futures, player props, team props, and every other wager type conceivable.
What Is The Minimum Sports Betting Age In Harrisburg?
Pennsylvania state law is uniform in its gambling age requirements. As such, the minimum sports betting age in Harrisburg for using a local sportsbook like the one in Hollywood Casino is 21 years old. However, all the top offshore sports betting shops have their minimum membership ages set at just 18, and there is no PA law that says users of those services must be 21. That being said, it’s always a good idea to follow the local gambling age for sports betting in Pennsylvania in order to avoid any potential issues.
With its property located 20 miles outside of Harrisburg (and within easy driving distance from both Hershey and Lancaster), The Hollywood Casino sportsbook is guaranteed to elicit raves, as the entire Hollywood chain is known for being a gambler-friendly enterprise with excellent customer service for its tens of millions of patrons nationwide. In addition to its sportsbook offering, the Hollywood Casino near Harrisburg has a slew of wagering activities and options for everyone. The casino’s gaming floor is separated into smoking and nonsmoking areas, and the site boasts 3480 slot machines as well as dozens of casino table games and a 17-table live poker room for players of all skill levels.
On-site restaurants include the standard Hollywood Casino eateries, from the upper-class Final Cut Steakhouse to the more inclusive and diverse Epic Buffet and Skybox Sports Bar. The Mountainview Dining and Terrace Lounge is also a good choice, particularly during racing season at Penn National Race Course, as the second-floor restaurant offers its patrons a great view of the ponies, the surrounding hills, and trees of the picturesque site on which the Hollywood Casino sits.
The horse racing at the Hollywood Casino is highly-rated, and the track has been operating since 1972, hosting various major races (including the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup Handicap and the Grade II Penn Mile). Simulcast racing is available all day and every day as well, making Penn National Race Course the Harrisburg area’s premier destination for equine action.
Though there are no hotels on the Hollywood Casino property itself, there are several local partners that offer lodging discounts and deals for visitors to Penn National, including several Wyndham, Hampton, Radisson, and Holiday Inn options. As for the area surrounding the casino, there’s plenty to do as well. There is the National Civil War Museum, the Fort Hunter Mansion and Park, and the State Museum of Pennsylvania all nearby. City Island and Riverfront Park are excellent summertime venues located on the water, and the retail shopping is also top-notch.
Bring your whole family to the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and you can be sure that everyone will have their days packed with fun, education, and adventure. The Hollywood Casino isn’t just the best Harrisburg sportsbook, it’s also already the best vacation spot in the entire region!