Pennsylvania Online Lottery Overview

The Pennsylvania (PA) iLottery was launched in May 2018 as part of an overall expansion of gambling in the region. Current gambling laws in the state were passed in October 2017.

Some other states have also introduced instant win lottery products recently, including Kentucky, Georgia, Illinois, and Michigan. Pennsylvania officials were able to use Michigan’s successful iLottery platform as a case study for their own.

There are currently 14 different instant games offered on the new iLottery platform, and new players can receive a PAiLottery bonus code.

History of lotteries in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Lottery was first created by the General Assembly in 1971, with the first lottery held in 1972. According to law, 27% or more of the revenues derived from the state lottery must go towards the funding of defined public programs, and 40% or more must be allocated for the lottery prize pool.

For the majority of states with their own lottery, most of the proceeds go towards education. Pennsylvania, however, uses most of their lottery revenue to help their senior citizens and other groups which have traditionally been underserved. Since the lottery was first launched in 1972, almost $28 billion has gone towards these senior-citizen programs.

In December 2011, the United States Department of Justice issued a new legal interpretation of the Federal Wire Act and determined the act was only applicable to sports betting. Therefore, states were suddenly given the all clear to proceed with online lotteries.

On October 25, 2017, Bill H 271 was passed by the Pennsylvania Senate, which allowed for gambling expansion in the state. It passed through the state House the following day. After Governor Tom Wolf signed the bill into law on October 31, 2017, Pennsylvania became the fourth state in the United States to have online gambling legalized.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Gaming Oversight Committee is the overseer for the Pennsylvania Online Lottery. It appears, however, that much of the regulation will be self-imposed.

The state’s Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell spoke about responsible gambling in February 2018 to the Appropriations Committee in the House of Representatives. He said that the iLottery platform would allow people to block themselves from participating in any of the online lottery offerings for as long as five years. Users would also be legally barred from using a credit card to play online games.

Since there have been significant deficits in the PA state budget, most of this new lottery revenue will go towards the general needs of the state. Governor Wolf believes that the state will benefit by as much as $75 million in the coming five years following the allowance of this iLottery platform.

PA online lottery fact sheet

Legal requirements

Participating players must be at least 18 years old and located inside Pennsylvania state borders at the time of purchasing their tickets. Players must prove their identity by providing the last four digits of their social security number. They must also be willing to submit scans of a government-issued ID when requested.

The Pennsylvania lottery website uses geolocation technology to verify players' location based on their IP address. If a player attempts to buy real-money tickets while outside state borders, they'll be denied access and redirected to a page listing the lottery's participation requirements.

Pennsylvania lottery games

The state has launched its new iLottery online platform in conjunction with Global Payments Gaming Solutions, allowing participants to buy tickets online and redeem any prize money won through the platform. There are a variety of instant win games that are offered on a desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

In regards to this development, Pennsylvania’s Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko said, “Online and mobile gaming is a natural evolution for the Pennsylvania Lottery and Global Payments is helping us make the consumer experience frictionless as we modernize our business and generate new funds to benefit older Pennsylvanians.”

The Scientific Games Corporation is the provider of these new digital lottery products. The company provides software for over 150 lotteries across the world, including the majority of North American lotteries.

Players have the chance to win as much as $250,000 through some of these games. Digital Scratch-offs may utilize a graphical user interface instead of requiring players to scratch a physical ticket, but the principles behind these games are inherently the same.

As of July 2017, the list of instant games on offer includes:

• Foxin’ Wins
• Big Money Slingo
• Super Cash Buster
• Bigfoot
• Cash in the Lamp
• Super Gems
• Robin Hood
• Volcano Eruption
• Cash Buster Towers
• Crossword Cash
• Monster Wins
• Big Eats Little
• Ballroom Bingo

Deposits

Deposits can be made using:

• Debit Cards
• ACH electronic checks
• PayNearMe deposits at 7-Eleven convenience stores

The minimum deposit size for all methods is $10.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are processed through ACH only and require up to 72 hours for processing. The minimum withdrawal is $10; there is no cap on the maximum.

Prize money less than $600 will be almost instantly deposited in a player’s online account. For payouts larger than $600, certain tax paperwork will be required.

The lottery automatically reports all winnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Since each player is required to submit the last four digits of their social security number when registering with the iLottery program, the IRS can link a player’s winnings to their relevant tax details.

If the payout is greater than $2500 there are extra verifications, such as ensuring there is no child support currently owed. Regarding taxation, winnings are subject to a 24% federal tax, with the Pennsylvania state tax of 3.07%.

Mobile application

The Pennsylvania lottery offers a mobile application for Android and iOS devices. The former can be downloaded from the lottery website, and the latter is available in the Apple App Store. Both apps can be used to play instant lottery games.

Support channels

The Pennsylvania online lottery support team can be reached by:

• Using an email contact form
• Live Chat (24/7)
• Toll-free at 1-833-530-PLAY

There's also an FAQ section with useful information on deposits and withdrawals, game rules, and account registration.

If you live in Pennsylvania and like to play lottery games, you are in luck. You do not need to head to a retail outlet to get your tickets. Instead, you can play the Pennsylvania lottery online.

You can buy tickets for Mega Millions, Powerball, and other popular draw games at the PA Lottery site. There are over 150 instant win games on the official PA Lottery site or the app, including popular titles like Wizard of Oz.

This guide explains everything you need to know about playing online lottery games in Pennsylvania. We will discuss the games you can play online, bonuses you can claim, and payment methods you can use at the PA Lottery site.

Options for purchasing lottery tickets online in Pennsylvania

You have two options for purchasing online lottery tickets in Pennsylvania:

• Visit PAiLottery.com and sign up for an account.
• Download the PA iLottery app via the App Store or Google Play.

The Keystone State does not permit lottery courier services such as Jackpocket or Jackpot.com, so all online purchases must go through the official PA Lottery site or the app. However, Pennsylvania is one of just seven states with legal online lottery games, so a courier service would be a bonus, not a necessity, for online lottery players.

Rules and regulations

PA iLottery games are tightly regulated, which ensures a fair, secure online gaming experience for players in the Keystone State. These are some of the key rules to keep in mind:

• You must be 18 or older to purchase online lottery tickets or play instant win games in Pennsylvania.
• Players must also be physically located inside state lines. You can turn on your phone’s location services using the app or mobile site. Or, install a geolocation plug-in on your computer if you visit the desktop site.
• However, you do not need to be a resident of Pennsylvania. Anyone visiting the Keystone State, including players from neighboring states, can sign up and play online lottery games.
• Prizes of up to $1 million will be credited to your online account and can be withdrawn immediately.
• Larger prizes must be claimed in-person. You will receive a claim number via email, along with instructions on how to claim your jackpot.

Each game has specific rules, from 3asy Money to Yeti Mania. You can browse the rules for these games in a dedicated section of the PA iLottery site.

The PA iLottery’s automated system should verify your identity immediately so you can start playing online lottery games straight away. Alternatively, you can download the PA iLottery app via the App Store or Google Play and then use your email address and password to sign in.

How to deposit and withdraw

The PA iLottery offers six secure deposit methods:

• ACH direct transfer
• Debit card
• Credit card
• PayPal
• Play+
• WebCash

The minimum deposit is $10 on the PA iLottery site or the app. No maximum deposit limits exist if you use ACH, a debit card, or PayPal. However, credit card payments are capped at $1,000 per 24 hours. The maximum deposit via Play+ is $25,000, and the upper limit is $1,000 per transaction if you use WebCash.

Your withdrawal options are ACH, PayPal, or Play+. The PA iLottery also has a minimum withdrawal limit of $10. There is no upper limit on withdrawals if you use ACH. PayPal withdrawals are capped at $10,000, and Play+ withdrawals can only go up to $25,000.

Withdrawals can take up to 13 business days:

• You must allow up to five business days for your withdrawal request to be reviewed.
• The PA Lottery may then ask you for additional documents, and it can take up to three business days for them to be examined after you have uploaded them.
• You must then wait for up to five business days for the funds to be transferred to your account after the withdrawal request is granted. However, withdrawals made via PayPal and Play+ are significantly faster than ACH payments.

Fees

There are no deposit or withdrawal fees when you use the PA iLottery site or the app. You will not be charged any extra processing or subscription fees, so playing online is just as cost-effective as buying tickets in-person at a lottery retailer or kiosk in Pennsylvania.

Promotions and bonuses

You can claim a wide range of bonuses at the PA iLottery site or the app. These are some of the best deals to look out for.

Online lottery games available in Pennsylvania

The online lottery games available in Pennsylvania can be divided into three broad categories: multi-state draw games, Pennsylvania-only draw games, and eInstants.

Draw games schedule

If you are interested in playing draw games in Pennsylvania, here is the weekly schedule:

Lottery games that cannot be played online in Pennsylvania

Certain lottery games can only be played in-person at licensed retailers in Pennsylvania. These are the games you cannot play online:

• Scratch-offs
• Fast Play
• Keno
• Xpress Sports

If you want to play these games, you will need to visit an official retailer. Pennsylvania has more than 9,500 licensed lottery retailers, so you should always be close to a store or a kiosk.

Is it safe to play the lottery online in Pennsylvania?

Yes, playing the lottery online in Pennsylvania is perfectly safe as long as you use an approved vendor. Your only option is to use the official PA iLottery site or app, which is run by the state government and tightly regulated.

The PA iLottery site has robust security measures in place to safeguard players:

• Industry-standard firewalls to prevent unauthorized access.
• TLS encryption to protect your details in transit.
• A valid security certificate.
• A range of tips to help you stay safe when playing lottery games online.

Just select a strong, unique password and change it frequently to ensure you remain safe. Do not share it with anyone, and never leave your computer or mobile device unattended when logged into your PA iLottery account.

Suppose another site offers to sell you lottery tickets in Pennsylvania. In that case, it should ring alarm bells, as no private companies have been authorized to offer online lottery games in the Commonwealth.

What do Pennsylvania’s lottery proceeds support?

All proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery are used to support programs for elderly residents in the Keystone State. Pennsylvania is the only state that designates all proceeds to such programs.

Since the first ticket was sold in 1972, the PA Lottery has generated more than $35 billion in funding to support programs for elderly residents. These are some of the services:

• Home-delivered meals, legal assistance, and program referrals
• Free and reduced-fare transportation
• Care services for older Pennsylvanians
• Low-cost prescription assistance
• Property tax and rent rebates

In the 2022-23 financial year, the PA Lottery used

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Responsible gambling resources available for Pennsylvania online lottery players

Players can access several responsible gambling tools at the PA iLottery app and website:

• Set a deposit limit, spend limit, and/or loss limit to help you stay within your budget.
• Set a time limit to ensure you don’t spend too long playing eInstants.
• Take a cool-off period, which can be set for as little as three days and as long as 30 days.
• Self-exclude from the online lottery for six months, one year, or five years.

If you need support with a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. This 24/7 helpline is run by the National Council on Problem Gambling and is strictly confidential.

If you are interested in local responsible gambling resources, these are the contact details for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania (CCPG):

• Phone: 215-643-4542
• Email: josh@pacouncil.com
• Address: P.O. Box 444, Spring House, PA 19477

The CCPG site provides details of local self-help meetings and workgroups in Pennsylvania, along with educational materials and a directory of gambling counselors in the state.

A brief history of iLottery in Pennsylvania

• In May 2018, the Pennsylvania Lottery launched internet lottery (iLottery) games, including draw games and eInstants. Online lottery game sales generated $381 million in revenue in the first year.
• Digital lottery game sales hit the $1 billion mark in May 2020, just before the program’s second anniversary. Scientific Games, which runs the PA iLottery, called it “the most commercially successful iLottery online/mobile launch in North America to date, significantly surpassing any previous North American iLottery launch in history.”
• Seven Pennsylvania casinos filed a lawsuit aiming to shut the Pennsylvania iLottery program down in August 2018. They argued that eInstants have characteristics similar to those of slots. In contrast, state law prohibits the PA iLottery from offering “interactive lottery games which simulate casino-style lottery games, specifically including poker, roulette, slot machines or blackjack.”
• The Commonwealth Court determined that eInstants are different from slots and denied a preliminary injunction. The casinos appealed, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacated the Commonwealth Court’s decision in December 2023, so the legal battle remains ongoing.
• The Pennsylvania iLottery continues to go from strength to strength. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, the iLottery program generated $872.5 million in eInstant sales, while online gambling revenues topped $2 billion, according to official figures.