Golden Nugget Finally Gets Online Casino Designation in PA
- Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) has been granted Qualified Gaming Entity (QGE) status in Pennsylvania, allowing it to launch online casino gaming.
- The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) awarded GNOG two certificates, one for online slots and the other for online table games.
- Golden Nugget Casino PA is still months away from launching due to additional regulatory hurdles.
- Bally Casino PA was the first to be granted QGE status in Pennsylvania and launched in June.
- Neither Golden Nugget Casino nor Bally Casino offer online poker, and Pennsylvania is not part of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.
It took nearly five years, but regulators in Pennsylvania approved a request by Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) for special status in the state, under which it will be allowed to launch online casino gaming without being tethered to a land-based casino.
After its board meeting on June 28, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) designated GNOG as an out-of-state operator, aka a Qualified Gaming Entity (QGE), and awarded the operator two certificates — one for online slots, the other for online table games.
Although certificates were issued, Golden Nugget Casino PA is still likely several months from becoming the next online casino in the Keystone State. A few small regulatory hurdles remain, according to the PGCB.
“They will not be able to go live until after we license both the company and its principals at an upcoming meeting,” PGCB spokesman Doug Harbach said in a statement. “The target is to have those in front of the board in the next month or two.”