The Transformation of Retail Locations in Pennsylvania into Satellite Casinos

Pennsylvania law currently permits only five satellite casinos across the state. The satellite casino law was passed in 2017 but the bidding process for licenses only took place in January 2018. The PGCB ran live auctions to award the five licenses. When it ran a second auction in September 2019, there were no bidders.

Four out of five of the satellite casinos in Pennsylvania were created by adapting big box retail spaces. These satellite casinos can feature 300 to 750 slot machines and up to 30 table games. If license holders want to offer up to 30 table games, they must pay an additional $2.5 million.

Parx Casino, Shippensburg

The Parx Casino in Shippensburg, PA opened its doors in January 2023, becoming the fourth satellite casino in Pennsylvania. It has more than 500 slot machines and 48 electronic table games. It also has sports betting kiosks and a sports bar and a restaurant. At 73,000 sq. ft., it is considered a mini-casino. It is way smaller than Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA, which is 260,000 sq. ft. and also offers online gambling through a PA gambling app.

Parx Casino Shippensburg is in what was formerly Lowe’s Home Improvement Store. Shippensburg may only be a small town but it is well situated along Interstate 81 and is the home of Shippensburg University which has about 120,000 students. The former Lowe’s Store already had a building, parking lot, and access roads so it was an ideal location for the mini-casino.

Live! Casino, Pittsburgh

The very first satellite casino to open in the state was the Live! Casino. Stadium Casinos put in a winning bid of over $40 million and the casino doors opened in 2020. Cordish Companies, Stadium’s parent company, was responsible for redeveloping the site in Westmoreland County.

What was formerly the 100,000 sq. ft. Bon-Ton department store became a mini-casino located in the Westmoreland Mall about 50 minutes east of Pittsburgh.

Tourism in Penn is increasing all the time, and Pittsburgh is an upcoming foodie destination. The local universities bring refreshing energy to the town. The museums are full of first-class art and Heinz Field hosts some of the best football games in the country.

Hollywood Casino, York

In 2021, Penn Entertainment paid a $50.1 million licensing fee to open Hollywood Casino in York. Most were expecting the initial bid to be in the range of $30 – $40 million but Penn went big and secured the license. Hollywood Casino is situated in a former Sears store at the York Galleria Mall in York County. The satellite casino is 79,300 sq ft. Despite the opening mid-pandemic, the first 12 months of operation were a success.

For those who don’t want to travel to Las Vegas to play at a casino, this mini-casino in York County offers more than 630 slot machines, over 27 table games, and a sportsbook. It is open 24/7 and provides an array of casual dining options.

Hollywood Casino, Morgantown

The second satellite casino in Pennsylvania was Hollywood Morgantown. A controversial aspect was that the Morgantown area includes Lancaster County. From the time Governor Tom Wolf signed the bill into law until the end of 2017, municipalities across the state could opt out of hosting a property.

All the towns in Lancaster opted out of hosting a Category Four casino (the mini-casino category). The PGCB eventually approved the project despite objections.

The casino is located just off the PA Turnpike at exit 298. It encompasses over 81,000 sq. ft. and has 750 slots, table games, and a sportsbook. It has various dining options and some thrilling promotions.

State College Casino

Another retail-to-satellite casino conversion was approved in 2020 but is still not completed. The plan was to occupy the vacated Macy’s store at the Nittany Mall near Penn State University’s main campus.

An alumnus of the university, Ira Lubart, bid more than $10 million for a license to open this satellite casino. Residents were not happy about the potential effect on the Penn State student population and concerned about crime. A rival bidder also claimed Lubart hadn’t complied with the PGCBs regulations.

Years of lawsuits delayed the project. The courts eventually ruled in favor of Lubart’s gaming company and the project plans to open in early 2026.