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Pennsylvania landed the third spot nationally for overall casino experience in a new study, trailing only Nevada and South Dakota among the country’s legal land-based casino states.
The analysis, published by BetMGM Casino PA, drew on data from the American Gaming Association‘s “State of the States 2026” report. Researchers evaluated 27 states with legal land-based casinos, weighting several player-focused factors to build an overall ranking rather than relying solely on revenue or market size.
Despite not having a retail presence in PA, BetMGM has strong online ties, operating a Pennsylvania online casino. New sign-ups can also claim a PA online casino bonus as part of the welcome offer and play thousands of slots, table games and live dealer titles.
The operator’s BetMGM Sportsbook PA product rounds out its presence in the commonwealth.
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$25 on the House
PLUS 100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+. MI, NJ and WV only. New Customers Only (If applicable). Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit/Bonus Bets unless otherwise provided in the applicable terms. Rewards subject to expiry.
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Top 10 states for casino experience
According to the study, the top 10 states are:
- Nevada
- South Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Mississippi
- Massachusetts
- Florida
Pennsylvania retail casino‘s third-place finish puts it ahead of other major gaming markets, including Michigan and Massachusetts, both of which also cracked the top 10. Notably absent from the top tier is New Jersey, despite its status as one of the largest gaming markets in the country by revenue.
How the rankings were determined
BetMGM said its methodology focused on factors most likely to shape a player’s on-the-ground experience at a property, rather than overall gaming revenue. Each factor was assigned a weight based on its importance to the player experience, and states were scored accordingly.
The company noted that while the AGA’s State of the States report tracked data across 27 legal casino states, the gaming association had no role in developing or endorsing the rankings themselves. BetMGM described the methodology as reflecting its own “user-focused perspective,” and acknowledged that other analysts using different criteria could reach different conclusions about which states perform best.
$25 on the House
PLUS 100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+. MI, NJ and WV only. New Customers Only (If applicable). Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit/Bonus Bets unless otherwise provided in the applicable terms. Rewards subject to expiry.
Use Bonus Code: PLAYPA
$25 on the House
PLUS 100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+. MI, NJ and WV only. New Customers Only (If applicable). Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit/Bonus Bets unless otherwise provided in the applicable terms. Rewards subject to expiry.
Use Bonus Code: PLAYPA
A strong showing for the Keystone State
Pennsylvania has built one of the largest land-based markets in the country since voters approved gaming expansion nearly two decades ago. The commonwealth is now home to more than a dozen licensed venues, ranging from large properties in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to smaller Category 4 mini-casinos across the state, including in the Poconos and central Pennsylvania.
Many Pennsylvania properties are much more than gambling facilities. The importance of adding entertainment such as fine dining, music performances and comedy shows has largely impacted the experience at venues across the state.
The state has also emerged as a top-tier market for iGaming and Pennsylvania online sportsbooks. Pennsylvania’s gambling revenue regularly ranking among the highest in the nation across multiple verticals, including iGaming and retail slots.
The BetMGM study did not break out state-by-state scores for each individual factor, so it remains unclear exactly where Pennsylvania excelled or fell short compared to the two states that finished ahead of it.
