According to a new decree by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, under new gambling expansion laws in the state, land-based casinos will not be allowed to offer online wagering from within the physical confines of their properties. While the law currently applies to online table games, online slots and online poker from land-based casinos from smartphones, laptops, tablets or desktop casinos, it will also apply to horse racing tracks.
Pennsylvania tracks were hoping to increase their earnings from other sources other than the slot machines currently allowed on their sites. However, it seems that they will not be able to bank on internet gambling bringing in this revenue.
In the meantime, the gaming authority has been busy setting up other restrictions in relation to geolocation technology. A document issued by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced that it would be putting in place a GPS-based software system that identifies IP addresses. The technology will block entry to Pennsylvania online gambling sites if the player is not within the state’s borders. The software will instantly block users who access online casinos if the player is located in within the physical confines of a Pennsylvania land casino.
A document issued by the authority explained as follows: “The Gaming Control Board will put in place a system that, through the use of GPS software and IP Address identification, will block entry and play of Pennsylvania-licensed internet gaming if a user is outside of the state.”
“In addition, participating in internet gaming when in a Pennsylvania casino will also be blocked,” it continued.
Several land-based casinos in Pennsylvania have obtained online gaming licenses in the meantime, including Penn National Gaming’s Hollywood Casino and Rush Street’s SugarHouse Casino. The majority of the 39 online gaming licenses have been awarded.
Analysts are not sure that the move by Pennsylvania’s authorities to bar online gaming from land-based casinos is a good one. Casinos in Nevada and New Jersey, for example, allow online gambling from casino premises, and these casinos have reported on increased revenue due to this.
