Are Mini Casinos the Next Big Thing in PA? Here Are 6 Projects in the Works

Are mini casinos the next big thing in Pennsylvania? It sure looks like it with several proposed locations in the Pittsburgh and State College areas.

Planning began in 2018 for many of what you see listed below, with auctions beginning that year for Category 4 mini casinos. You may know them as satellite casinos. At the time, 10 licenses were auctioned off and five were sold with two in the Pittsburgh area, two in central PA, and two in Philadelphia.

Another casino hotel currently under development that I’ve included on this list is Live! Hotel and Casino Philadelphia, which will give you some good insight on Philadelphia’s latest and perhaps greatest casino.

Every casino listed here is under development at the time of this writing with a scheduled release in either 2021 or TBD. You can use this article to get to know the future of Pennsylvania’s casino scene.

1 – Hollywood Casino Morgantown (Morgantown, PA)

In a article from WMFZ-69 News, the Penn National Gaming-owned Hollywood Casino Morgantown announced their plans to resume construction on the Berks County casino following a hiatus in construction.





In the article, Penn National Gaming stated they expect the new casino to be completed come the second half of 2021, just in time for the 2021 NFL season.

The casino sits on a site comprising 36 acres of land adjacent to Pennsylvania’s Turnpike Morgantown’s interchange, granting it a convenient location just off the highway. The casino was originally slated to open in November 2020.

So, what will this mini casino feature?

We are looking at 750 slot machines, 30 tables worth of table gaming, a plethora of restaurants, bars, a food court, and an entertainment lounge. Can it seriously get much better for the people of Berks County?

But hey, don’t get too hung up if you’re not in the area because Penn National Gaming is planning to construct more than just the location in Morgantown. If you’re in or around York County, you’re in luck. In fact, let’s take a quick look at what Penn National Gaming’s planning on doing over there.

2 – Hollywood Casino York (York, PA)

The mini casino at the York Galleria was Penn National Gaming’s first license, which they acquired in April 2018. The $120 million-dollar project, like its sister in Morgantown, was also slated to open in November, but as mentioned above, the health crisis halted such plans.

What should you expect regarding Hollywood Casino York? It looks like it will be slightly smaller, featuring just 500 slot machines but some articles have stated that number could expand to 750 per consumer demand. Ditto for the 20 table games the mini casino will offer when it opens its doors in late 2021. The number can also expand to as many as 40.

I’ll give you my bold prediction on the subject: Expect it to expand sooner than later since the gambling and casino scene in Pennsylvania has only grown over the last decade.

3 – Live! Casino Pittsburgh (Greensburg, PA)

Okay, who wants a behind-the-scenes look at the new casino coming to Westmoreland County? Live! Casino Pittsburgh’s open date is set to open in November 2020 at the Westmoreland Mall.

And the casino’s 750 slot machines have arrived. Nice to see, right? The casino’s setup includes “four quadrants of slot machines,” as per the words of casino manager Steve Sullivan. In between each quadrant, you table enthusiasts will find your table games.

But if gambling isn’t your thing, don’t sweat it. This two-floor casino has everything you can ask for up top, including 45-foot TV screens and a mini-arcade featuring some of your favorites like skeeball, bowling, foosball, etc.

The top floor is also set to hold a capacity of 450 people. And if you’re in the mood for it, the casino will have dining options and other amenities. This place literally looks as if it’s your next one-stop shop in Pittsburgh.

Better yet, it’s innovative for shopping malls, where the brick and mortar stores have seen their better days. Is this a possible trend? We’ll wait and see.

4 – Mount Airy Pittsburgh (Big Beaver, PA)

Owned by Mount Airy Casino Resort at the Poconos, as a ploy to attract gamblers into the northern portion of Beaver County, this casino is set to feature 750 slot machines, 30 table games, a high-limit area, plus a sports bar among other amenities.





Not much is known about the casino set to be located in Big Beaver, PA, other than a brief history involving Mount Airy submitting a winning bid of $21,888.888.88 at one of the 2018 auctions. However, they were denied the license to build the casino.

Bidding is set to reopen in either late 2020 or 2021, so they aren’t out of the game just yet. That’s why I included the casino in this article.

The casino’s plan is to attract crowds from both Western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh area, and even Eastern Ohio, given its proximity to the state.

Other amenities include a 225-seat buffet, a three-venue food court, plus a sports bar that can seat 125, along with a restaurant, and a cafe area.

5 – Parx Casino (Shippensburg, PA)

The smallest of the small casinos on this list is the Parx Casino coming to Shippensburg. But don’t worry, this isn’t one of those dingy places with only a few machines with a line of people waiting. In fact, you probably won’t have to wait long to gear up and play.

Parx Casino will still feature 475 slot machines and 40 table games. Since mini casinos can hold roughly 700 slot machines, there’s always room for growth. So, if the demand calls for it, expect it to happen.

Owned by Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment, Parx Casino’s parent company is hoping to provide a unique blend of casino gaming and entertainment. You can expect a sports bar type of atmosphere complete with restaurants and live gaming that’s only steps away.

It’s a unique concept that though small, may really attract a crowd.

6 – Live! Hotel and Casino Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA)

Set to open in early 2021, Live! Casino Philadelphia is set to comprise of over 2,000 slot machines, 125 table games, and then some with 24/7/365 gaming.

You can go ahead and click the link above to explore the site which provides graphical concepts on what the casino will look like, or you can take a quick-hit tour below, where I’ve highlighted some key features regarding this new casino.

Our table games feature the most popular optionsb including blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, Mississippi Stud, real money Texas Hold ‘em, and more.

Some of the most popular of the 2,200-plus slot machine games include Buffalo Gold Revolution, Ba Fang Jin Bao, Dollar Storm, Quick Hit Blitz, Rocky the Man, the Myth, Lightning Cash, Wheel of Fortune: Exotic Far East, and others.

At Live! Hotel and Casino Philadelphia, you can enjoy live entertainment from the area’s hottest local bands and world-class artists. So, when you’re finished gaming for the day, you definitely want to head over to the entertainment venues to see what’s in store for the night.

At least three restaurants have signed on and per newscasts in Philadelphia, more are rumored to be coming. However, per the site, we know Lorenzo and Sons Pizza, Sangkee Noodles Bar and Kitchen, and Termini Bros Gold Medal Pastry are definitely on the way.

In all, the new location is projected to cover 1,500,000 square feet of real estate and provide an economic impact of $2 billion.

And I know this new casino is a huge win for the city of Philadelphia and its people.

Conclusion

So, there you have five exciting mini casinos on their way to Pennsylvania plus a sneak peek at the new Live! Hotel and Casino Philadelphia set to open its doors sooner than later.

While plans were delayed for all of the casinos listed, it provides a ray of hope for all of us in the world today that most of the casinos listed above have either resumed operations or will do so in the near future.

And don’t be surprised if you see more licensing for mini casinos in the future when those listed here are up, running, and providing an outstanding economic impact on their city and the state of Pennsylvania.

Are you excited about the potential opening for the casinos listed here in 2021 or early 2022? How have your mini casino experiences been? Let us know in the comments!