HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — Is Pennsylvania losing out on tens of millions of potential tax dollars? This is what the state Attorney General Dave Sunday said as he and others across the country are urging the federal government to address illegal offshore gambling.
Sunday, along with 50 Attorneys Generals, sent a joint letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi asking for the U.S. Department of Justice to shut down illegal gaming outlets, seize related assets and block unlawful transactions.
Most of the illegal offshore gambling happens on the internet through online sports betting and gaming operations that are run by foreign-based companies. The Attorneys Generals say these foreign companies are operating without proper licenses, offer little to no customer protection and fail to adequately verify the age of their users, thus exposing children to gambling.
Million-dollar Powerball ticket sold in Pennsylvania, jackpot grows
By ignoring state boundaries, Sunday says these foreign companies are evading tax obligations and potentially costing Pennsylvania “tens of millions of dollars in tax income every year.”
“Illegal offshore gaming and gambling companies circumvent all state and federal laws with one mission: to increase players and maximize profits, exposing children and other vulnerable Pennsylvanians to gambling without protections offered by legitimate outlets,” Sunday said. “Gambling and gaming remains legal in Pennsylvania, and online gamblers should look for the official Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board logo on licensed operators` websites to ensure their gaming and gambling experience is safe and regulated.”
According to the coalition of Attorneys Generals, illegal online gaming is estimated to exceed more than $400 billion in volume each year, causing states to lose over $4 billion in potential tax revenue.
“Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control Board reported that legal gaming and gambling brought in nearly $6.4 billion in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Internet casinos or “iGaming” brought in almost $2.5 billion of that revenue. Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control Board maintains a list of online gaming operators who are licensed to operate in Pennsylvania,” a statement from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office read.
Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters.
More information about the letter and what consumers should look out for when gambling online can be found on the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s website.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.
Comments