The number of Pennsylvanians voluntarily excluding themselves from gambling rose 18% in the past fiscal year, extending a sharp increase that has continued since the state’s first online casino opened in 2019.
More than 30,000 people are now voluntarily excluded from one or more forms of gambling, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s latest annual report. Fewer than 1,500 people joined self-exclusion programs six years ago. If the current trend continues, more than 10,000 people are expected to add themselves to the lists by the end of this year.
The increase comes as concerns grow over the financial and personal consequences of gambling addiction. Gambling opponents point to local reports of families facing major conflicts and financial losses linked to gambling, as well as cases involving suicide.
A 2025 report by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs estimated that between 2.5% and 6.4% of Pennsylvania adults could be classified as problem gamblers, equivalent to roughly 200,000 to 700,000 people. It also found that people who gambled across multiple platforms were more likely to report gambling addiction than those who gambled only online or only in person.
Calls for regulatory action have increased alongside those figures. A nonpartisan report published in July said new regulations were needed to address the rise in problem gambling. It said Pennsylvania faces a choice between acting quickly through measures that could reduce overall gambling revenue or allowing the problem to continue while pursuing more targeted measures with less impact on state finances.
Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board proposed a “comprehensive overhaul” of gambling regulations to reflect changes associated with online gambling, including new restrictions on casino advertising. Philadelphia ranks as the country’s No. 1 market for gambling advertising, while Pittsburgh ranks fifth.
Lawmakers have also proposed restrictions. Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, has called for banning the use of credit cards at online casinos, but the legislature has not passed major reforms addressing gambling addiction.
The rise in self-exclusions has coincided with continued expansion of online gambling. Online gambling revenue increased 18% last year, while revenue from in-person casinos declined 0.5%. Online slot machines account for the majority of internet gambling revenue, while sports betting, despite continued growth, generated less than a quarter of the revenue produced by online slots.
Overall gambling revenue in Pennsylvania exceeded $7 billion for the first time last year, generating more than $3 billion in tax revenue, both record highs.
Lawmakers are also debating whether to regulate and tax skill games, slot machine-like devices found in convenience stores and other small businesses. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the machines are subject to state gambling law, meaning they could be subject to law enforcement seizure beginning October 13.