Parx applies for interactive gaming license in PA; partners with GAN

Bensalem-based, Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment, parent company of Parx Casino in Bucks County, filed an application on July 12  with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) for an interactive gaming license.

The company, which in February this year was awarded the fourth auction for Category 4 casino permits in the Commonwealth, filed its application for online gaming licenses just three days before the initial 90-day window to do so closed on Sunday. According to PlayPennsylvania, the first casino to apply for an online gambling license in Pennsylvania wants and will get the full $10 million license package to offer table games, slot machines and online poker.

Within hours of Parx Casino submitting its license application, Mount Airy Casino in northeastern Pennsylvania reportedly submitted its application, which was followed on Friday by the under-construction Live! Hotel and Casino Philadelphia in south Philiadelphia’s stadium district, according to Online Poker Report.

While Mount Airy will pay the same $10 million fee as Parx Casino, future applicants will reportedly have to pay $2 million more for the full package or $4 million per package element.

Stadium Casino LLC, which is a joint project of Maryland Live! owner, Cordish Companies, and Greenwood Racing, owner of Parx Casino, and is being built near Philadelphia’s four professional sports facilities, has made it known that it wants in on the online gaming business, after late last year, Governor Tom Wolf signed a law making Pennsylvania the fourth state, behind Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware, to legalize online casino gambling.

In an official press release on Monday, GAN plc, confirmed that Parx Casino had petitioned the PGCB to launch Internet gaming online in PA and that GAN was identified as its enterprise software platform provider. Via the press release, it was further communicated that GAN’s Simulated Gaming, which was launched in March 2015 by Parx Casino, will continue to operate and be available at ParxOnline.com post-launch of real money regulated Internet gaming.

Chief Executive Officer for GAN, Dermot Smurfit, said, “Parx Casino and GAN have collaborated well for three years, developing a close working relationship by operating Simulated Gaming online. Launching regulated real money Internet gaming in Pennsylvania is a logical extension of our existing long-term relationship and we welcome the opportunity to deliver excellence in technology and product, as we have for our clients in New Jersey.”

Also commenting on the partnership, Chief Technical Officer for Greenwood Entertainment & Racing, Inc., John Dixon, said, “GAN has demonstrated its Regulated Gaming capability in New Jersey and the merits of integrating with a casino management system. Parx Casino will have the opportunity to launch Regulated Gaming in Pennsylvania later this year, subject to the regulatory approval of the PGCB.”

For its part, Mount Airy Casino, a vocal advocate of online gambling, entered into a partnership agreement with online casino platform provider 888 back in 2014 and is also expected to partner with PokerStars, according to Online Poker Report.