Pennsylvania is a haven for both gambling fans and sports fans, with some of the best teams across 5 major sports leagues calling the state home. What better way is there to celebrate than to draft some local talent into the weekly Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) drafts? Keep reading to discover what makes DFS betting in Pennsylvania so exciting. Or play at popular sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings.

Todd Winkler, Editor at online-gambling.com

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Todd Winkler has been an editor at online-gambling.com for 6 years. His focus is on guides and articles about poker games, blackjack, and DFS. With relatives in New Zealand, he is also well aware of the gambling industry in the country.

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Online Daily Fantasy Sports in Pennsylvania – Overview

When DFS was introduced in 2017, it demanded that all operators would have to apply for licensing with the state Gaming Control Board and that 15% of revenue generated would need to be paid to the state in taxes. In the first year alone of legalized and regulated DFS, operators brought in a combined total of $3.3 million in tax revenue, proving right away the benefits that legalization can bring to the state.

It wasn’t just the state that would be seen to benefit from the regulations, too. The law stipulates that DFS operators are responsible for verifying players identities, ensuring that players are aware of the rules and prizes before competing, limiting beginner contest to beginner players and creating avenues to appropriately deal with customer grievances. These changes represent the benefits of legalization – ensuring that ethics surrounding consumer protection are met.

The next major step for Pennsylvania was the legalization of sports betting, but for those more interested in betting on their fantasy lineups rather than real-life games, we’ve listed some of the favorite fantasy sports leagues in Pennsylvania and how they are played.

Online Daily Fantasy MLB – Phillies or ‘Buccs’? Why Not Both?

Both Major League Baseball teams the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates call Pennsylvania home. With 7 World Series wins between them, it’s no wonder DFS players across the country are battling it out every week to include Pennsylvania’s best in their lineups. In MLB Fantasy, contestants draft player pools of 10 players to play against their competition. Weekly rounds are won by contestants accumulating the most points, which are based on their chosen player’s real-life gameplay statistics.

Online Daily Fantasy NFL – The Battle of Pennsylvania

Whether you’re a Pittsburgh Steelers or a Philadelphia Eagles fan, you can be sure that both team’s players have done Pennsylvania proud at some point in the National Football League’s long history – and in the NFL Fantasy League’s short history. NFL Fantasy requires players to draft their favorite 9 NFL stars into their lineup in either public or private contests, their selections determined only by what their salary allows. Cash prizes are won at the end of every week.

Online Daily Fantasy NBA – Get Your Kicks With The Knicks

The Philadelphia 76ers have been impressing Pennsylvania’s fans since 1946, with some of the greatest players in National Basketball Association history playing for the team. In NBA Fantasy, players are asked to draft a lineup of 8 players – including 76ers players, of course – all within a salary cap of $50,000. Contests are won by having the highest total points scored by your chosen players, e.g. 2 points for a steal, 1.5 points for an assist.

Online Daily Fantasy NHL – Fly High

As of 2019, the Philadelphia Flyers have the third-highest points percentage in the National Hockey League, while their local rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins have the sixth most Stanley Cup victories in history. Whoever you support, if you’re thinking of skipping out on drafting players from both teams in your DFS lineup – think again. In the NHL Fantasy League contestants to draft teams of 9 players from at least 3 different teams – so usually you can choose from both! Points are awarded to players for their goals, assists, blocked shots, etc.

College Fantasy Sport – The Lion’s Roar

There are few teams more famous in college American football than Pennsylvania State University’s record-breaking Littany Lions. The program has gone on to produce dozens of top players in the NFL, with at least one player in 37 of 41 Super Bowls having once played at Penn State. Not only that, but the support of the Lions is so strong that its 106,000 capacity Beaver Stadium is the second-largest in the Western Hemisphere, and somehow managed to hold 110,000 in 2017 to break nationwide attendance records in their victorious match against the University of Michigan.

Chances are, if you are competing and performing successfully in the NFL DFS League, you’ve either knowingly or unknowingly drafted former Penn State players. For the best advantage over your competitors in the future, Penn State University is worth paying attention to before its players go on to bigger things – and competing in DFS college sports leagues is an even better way to learn how each player performs.

Timeline of Daily Fantasy Sports Legislation

There is no state that has changed course on its approach to gambling and reaped the benefits quite like Pennsylvania. It doesn’t take long to realize that Pennsylvanians love nothing more than a healthy competition, so it only makes sense why a relaxed gambling economy would be embraced so quickly. But the path to this success wasn’t always easy, with legal DFS just another great victory for the state after years of a restricted gambling sector. Below, we’ve put together a timeline of some of the most interesting and important years in Pennsylvania’s gambling history. For more information on gambling in the state, visit our guide to the best PA online gambling sites.

Legal Daily Fantasy Betting Age in Pennsylvania

The gambling age laws in Pennsylvania make it very clear that unless you are not over 21 years of age, you do not have the right to participate in any sort of betting activities. This applies to casino sites, sportsbooks, daily fantasy sites, or even if you want to play online poker for real money in PA. Underaged gambling is not tolerated at all and the sanctions that you can get are a fine of $1000 at most or a certain number of community service hours.

• DFS Betting Age
  Players must be over 18 years old to legally gamble in Pennsylvania.
• Alcohol Age
  The legal drinking age in Pennsylvania is 21 years old.
• Weed Age
  Recreational cannabis smoking is illegal in Pennsylvania.

Is Daily Fantasy Betting Legal Outside of the State?

If you frequently play DFS and find yourself crossing state lines often, then rest assured that you should be safe from breaking the law in that state – DFS betting is now legal in most states. There are only nine states that have declared DFS illegal, including Arizona, Hawaii and Idaho. Luckily for Pennsylvania’s residents, all neighboring states have likewise legalized DFS activity, though if you are traveling further away, it’s always worth researching before you play – states like Hawaii and Arizona have adopted strict anti-gambling laws and can punish law-breakers harshly.

The Best Fantasy Sports App in Pennsylvania

Mobile-compatibility is vital nowadays, taking into account how much time we all spend on our phones. The good news is that DFS operators recognized this and launched specific apps that work on both iOS and Android. The look is a bit different, mainly because of the smaller screen but functionality is the same. The best DFS app according to us belongs to DraftKings.

Taxes on Daily Fantasy Winnings: Legal Overview

All winnings from gambling activities, including from DFS, are subject to federal taxes in Pennsylvania. Winnings are taxable at a rate of 25% for federal taxes, and at a state level gambling winnings are to be classed as income and are taxed accordingly to residents’ tax classes. For more info, visit the website of the IRS.

Upcoming Regulation Changes to Be Aware Of

Since 2004, Pennsylvania’s gambling laws have only become more and more relaxed, turning it from an anti-gambling state into a gambling-friendly state in just over ten years. While there has been little mention of changes to Daily Fantasy Sports regulations, lawmakers are continuing to make adjustments to recent sports betting laws, having just recently launched an online mobile wagering option.

The gambling economy has become so reliable to the state that Pennsylvania’s fiscal performance saw an increase of 1.8%, a large portion of which can be attributed to the $1.38 billion generated from annual gambling tax revenue alone. Considering that the roughly $50 million increase in revenue from the previous year can be attributed to the new sports betting laws, it makes sense why Pennsylvania’s politicians are continuing to seek new ways to bring wider gambling opportunities to its constituents and tourists.

Considering that even Nevada has yet to create a manageable framework for DFS operators to be active in the state legally, it seems that Pennsylvania’s race to be a competitive gambling destination is off to a great start. Only time will tell how Pennsylvania will continue to revolutionize their gambling market, but we can safely say that we can’t wait to see what happens next.

Daily Fantasy Guides for Nearby States

• New Jersey
• Maryland
• Ohio
• New York