No Bonuses, No Prop Bets, No VIP Programs: Pennsylvania Bill Targets Online Gambling

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have introduced legislation designed to better regulate the state’s rapidly growing online gambling sector through enhanced consumer protection measures. A DraftKings Sportsbook advertisement is seen on the rail platform of the 15th Street Station in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering legislation to place new regulations on online gambling and mobile sports betting platforms. (Image: Shutterstock) Eight Democrats and one Republican in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently filed House Bill 2879—an act providing for Online Gambling Public Health and Consumer Protection. Led by Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia), the bill would impose a series of guardrails on the ever-expanding online sports betting and internet casino markets. Problem gambling is increasingly recognized as a public health issue because of the significant harm it can cause to mental health, financial security, and family stability. As online gambling continues to expand and operators employ increasingly aggressive marketing tactics, concerns continue to grow about its impact on debt, mental health, and overall well-being,” Khan and his cosponsors wrote in a memo to lawmakers. The bill’s supporters say the impact on young adults, especially young men, is particularly concerning. The bill has been referred to the House Gaming Oversight Committee. The Pennsylvania General Assembly’s 2026 session ends on Nov. 30, and legislation does not carry over to 2027. Limiting Losses HB2879 proposes limiting online sports bettors and casino gamblers to no more than two account deposits per 24 hours. Credit cards and government assistance cards would be prohibited, and online gambling gift cards would become banned. Consumers would also be limited to $5,000 in deposits during any 180-day period unless the online sportsbook or iGaming platform verifies that the individual can afford additional losses through an affordability check. For consumers aged 21 to 25, the rules would be even stricter. Those bettors would be limited to maximum bets of $2 per play on online casino games, and anyone losing $750 in a single day or $2,500 in a single month would face a 30-day cooling-off period. The legislation would require bettors to set daily and monthly loss limits before their first wager. Lowering a limit would take effect immediately, while raising one would require a cooling-off period. Operators would need to take steps to ensure consumer safety by eliminating microbets and proposition bets from sports betting. Push notifications to solicit bets and deposits, sign-up bonuses, bonus bets, and the use of VIP programs would become illegal. Marketing language like “risk-free” would also become banned, and all gambling adverts would be prohibited between 8 am and 10 pm and during all live sports broadcasts. Win for Offshore Market? Opponents to HB2879 argue that the stringent rules will allow offshore gambling websites and apps to have an upper hand in marketing to online gamblers and sports bettors. Since offshore sportsbooks are unregulated and operating illegally in the US, the platforms do not adhere to state laws like the ones being presented by Khan and his cosponsors. Licensed sportsbooks and iGaming platforms maintain that they promote responsible play and that safeguarding consumers from gambling harms is key to their businesses’ sustainability. The post No Bonuses, No Prop Bets, No VIP Programs: Pennsylvania Bill Targets Online Gambling appeared first on Casino.org.