Pennsylvania regulators have approved a longtime request by Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) to be designated as an out-of-state operator, meaning that it will be allowed to launch an online casino in PA without being tethered to a land-based property.
GNOG first applied for designation as a Qualified Gaming Entity (QGE) with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) back in October 2018. Although the regulator later determined that GNOG qualified as a QGE, it had yet to issue the operator an interactive gaming certificate.
Two certificates — one for online slots, the other for online table games — were finally awarded by the PGCB board at its meeting on June 28, ending a nearly five-year-long saga. But Golden Nugget Casino PA is likely still a few months away from launching, according to a spokesperson for the agency.
- Great slot selection
- Player-friendly terms
- Quality mobile app
“They will not be able to go live until after we license both the company and its principals at an upcoming meeting,” PGCB spokesman Doug Harbach said in a statement. “The target is to have those in front of the board in the next month or two.”
When Golden Nugget Casino PA finally does launch, it will be Pennsylvania’s second QGE — Bally Casino PA was granted the status in March and launched in June after a successful soft launch. Like Golden Nugget Casino, Bally Casino is licensed to offer online slots and table games.
PGCB still has eight certificates available to potential QGEs — six for online poker, one for online slots, and one for online table games. QGEs are not authorized to launch online sports betting. Each certificate costs $4 million, meaning GNOG likely paid $8 million to launch Golden Nugget sometime in the near future — likely in the next two to three months.
Since Pennsylvania is not a member of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) — a gaming compact that allows for interstate online poker and some casino gaming that presently includes Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, and New Jersey — it seems unlikely PGCB will issue any of the six online poker certificates it still holds. Neither Bally Casino nor Golden Nugget Casino offers online poker.
DraftKings completed its acquisition of GNOG in May 2022. Before GNOG was designated as a QGE, DraftKings was already tethered to the land-based license of the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.
Betfred is rumored to be interested in registering as a QGE but has not yet done so. Fanatics was another, but it no longer needs QGE status since PointsBet shareholders late last month approved a $225 million offer from Fanatics for the Australia-based company’s US assets — including PointsBet’s market access in Pennsylvania.
PointsBet Casino PA operates under the land-based casino license of Hollywood Casino York.
Golden Nugget Casino PA will likely launch at a time when Pennsylvania online casinos are riding high. PGCB data show the vertical had its second-best month for revenue in May, the most recent month with figures available. May was also the third consecutive month — and the fifth of the last six months — where revenue topped $130 million.
