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In just six years, with sports betting legalized only in 2017, there has been significant progress in the development and growth of the market. In this guide, we will look at how the country has managed legalization and identify the causes of recent growth by reflecting recently reported figures on betting returns. First, let's look at the current legal framework.

Making a Bet in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's gambling laws have been the subject of development for the past 20 years. Gambling was first legalized in 2004, and the Pennsylvania Game Control Board was responsible for licensing and enforcement. There are 12 casinos in the state and more have been licensed online. This has led the state to develop one of the nation's largest gambling markets, with annual revenues of billions of dollars each year. In Pennsylvania, it is legal to make sports betting online and in casinos through licensed operators these days. Rules surrounding sports betting were relaxed in 2017. Other laws in force include those who must be 21 years of age or older. All competitors, whether online or betting on casinos, must register before playing.

What led to Pennsylvania's growth?
The gambling market has grown significantly in Pennsylvania in a very short period of time. The main reason for this remarkable growth is the relaxed legal framework combined with a large population. The fact that legalization has also expanded to sports betting has only fueled further growth. To find out the value of the market, the Pennsylvania Game Control Board reported that the state's gambling industry earned more than $3.8 billion in 2020 despite challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is actually down from the previous year due to casino closures and reduced capacity limits, despite the huge amount. This industry is a major contributor to the state economy. In 2021, the state reported an all-time high on gaming revenue, totaling $4.7 billion. Of that amount, an astonishing $2.2 billion was spent on slot machine games, $1.1 billion on iGaming and $924 million on casino table games. This growth continued into 2022 and 2023. For example, in February 2023, gambling revenue was reported to have increased by 21.6%. According to PGCB, monthly sales increased to $456.8 million from $375.7 million in February 2022. This is 1.6% lower than the $464.4 million recorded in January this year. Retail slots were a major source of gambling revenue in the state, up 4.2% year-on-year to $202.8 million. Retail table game revenue also edged up, rising 0.2% to $74.5 million.

Online casino segment grew year-on-year in slot and table games, but internet poker sales declined. In sports betting, revenue improved significantly, with a jump from a loss of $442,847 in February 2022 to a plus of $43.2 million this year, marking a whopping 9,861.9% increase. The country's handling, or total bets, also edged up 0.4%, to $599.5 million. The big jump could be triggered by interest in this year's Super Bowl. The Philadelphia Eagles, one of the state's most popular teams, made it to the Super Bowl final, but lost an interesting and focused game to the Kansas City Chiefs. While the popularity of classical casino games in Pennsylvania still seems strong, recent law revisions have helped add significant revenue to the market in the form of iGaming.