In Pennsylvania, how old you have to be to gamble depends on what you’re playing. The legal age is 21 for casino games, online casinos, poker, and sports betting, and 18 for lottery tickets, horse racing wagers, daily fantasy sports played from home, and small games of chance like raffles and pull tabs. Bingo is the one form of gambling anyone under 18 can join, and only with an adult.
Games and Bets That Require Age 21
You must be at least 21 to gamble at any Pennsylvania casino. The Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act bars anyone under 21 from operating slot machines, and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board applies the same floor across all casino gaming, including table games.1PA Gaming Control Board. PGCB Underage Gaming Rulemaking Response Video gaming terminals at licensed truck stops carry the same 21-year minimum.2PA Gaming Control Board. VGTs at Truck Stops FAQ
Online gambling works the same way. The Gaming Expansion Act of 2017 legalized online casinos, online poker, and sports wagering, and all three require players to be at least 21.3PA Gaming Control Board. Internet Gaming FAQ Retail sportsbooks inside casinos apply the same age.4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 4 Chapter 13C – Sports Wagering
Daily fantasy sports usually sit at 18, but if the contest runs inside a licensed casino, the age jumps to 21 to match the venue.5Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. What Is the Minimum Age to Participate?
Games and Bets That Require Age 18
The minimum age to buy a Pennsylvania Lottery ticket is 18, including scratch-offs, draw games, and online lottery products. An adult can buy a ticket as a gift for a minor, but a person under 18 cannot buy one directly. Retailers who knowingly sell to minors face a misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $500.6Cornell Law School. 61 Pa Code 809.35 – Sales to Minors Prohibited
Horse racing wagers require you to be 18, whether you’re betting live at a track or at an off-track wagering facility. State regulation prohibits any licensed racing entity from allowing anyone under 18 to place a bet at a race meeting.7Pennsylvania Code Website. 58 Pa Code 165.26 – Admission of Minors
Daily fantasy contests entered from a phone or computer at home are open to players 18 and older, which is the rule most DraftKings and FanDuel users are operating under.5Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. What Is the Minimum Age to Participate?
Small games of chance, including pull tabs, punchboards, and raffles run by licensed organizations, also require players to be at least 18.
Bingo: the Exception Under 18
Pennsylvania’s Bingo Law allows a person under 18 to play bingo as long as an adult is with them. If an unaccompanied minor plays, the venue’s license can be revoked.8Pennsylvania General Assembly. Bingo Law – Act of Jul 10, 1981 Bingo is the only form of gambling in Pennsylvania a person under 18 can legally take part in.
Quick Reference by Age
- 21 and older: casino slots and table games, online casino games, online poker, retail and online sports betting, video gaming terminals at truck stops, and DFS contests held inside a casino.
- 18 and older: lottery tickets, horse racing wagers, daily fantasy sports played outside a casino, and small games of chance like raffles and pull tabs.
- Under 18: bingo only, and only with an accompanying adult.
How Age Is Verified
Pennsylvania casinos require a valid government-issued photo ID at the door. A driver’s license, passport, or military ID all work. Many casinos scan IDs electronically, which checks age and compares your name against the state’s self-exclusion list at the same time. No ID, no entry.
Online platforms verify differently. When you create an account, you provide your name, date of birth, address, and the last four digits of your Social Security number, and the operator runs those details through identity-confirmation software against public records before you can place a bet. If the automated check can’t confirm you, expect to be asked to upload a photo of your ID.3PA Gaming Control Board. Internet Gaming FAQ
What Happens If Someone Underage Gambles
Pennsylvania treats illegal gambling under Title 18, Section 5513 of the Crimes Code, and certain violations are graded as a first-degree misdemeanor.9Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 Section 5513 – Gambling Devices, Gambling, Etc An underage player caught gambling at a licensed venue can face criminal charges, but most of the enforcement weight lands on the businesses and adults who let it happen.
The PGCB has fined casino operators tens of thousands of dollars for letting minors reach the gaming floor. Valley Forge Casino Resort was fined $30,000 after a 13-year-old got in and placed bets. Adults who leave a minor unattended at a casino while they gamble can be placed on the state’s involuntary exclusion list, a permanent ban from every Pennsylvania casino, online betting platform, and VGT location.10Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. PA Gaming Control Board Levies $30,000 Fine for Underage Gambling
Working at a Casino at 18
You can work at a Pennsylvania casino at 18 even though you can’t gamble there until 21. The PGCB issues gaming employee permits starting at age 18.11Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. How Old Do I Have to Be to Obtain a Gaming Permit Dealing cards is a job; playing them is gambling, and the state uses different age rules for each.