Pennsylvania iGaming operators pulled in a record $2.78 billion in revenue last year, but some lawmakers want more responsible gaming consumer protections. State Reps. Tarik Khan (D-Phila) and Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) have introduced bipartisan legislation to provide better safeguards for PA online gamblers. Their series of bills seeks to add more protections, such as reduced deposit periods and limits on iGaming marketing.

Restrictions on push notifications, text marketing, credit cards & more

Dubbed Protecting Public Health in Online Gambling, Flick’s and Khan’s legislation breaks down into the following three parts:

Protecting young people and problem gamblers

Khan, who’s been a certified nurse practitioner since 2011, views Pennsylvania’s growing online gambling habit as a potential health challenge.

“As a nurse practitioner, I believe we should address problem gambling the same way we address other public health challenges: with prevention, education, treatment and commonsense safeguards,” Khan stated via his website.

“Our bipartisan bill package will help protect young people, individuals and families while supporting responsible gaming.”

Flick is primarily concerned with the number of young Pennsylvanians who are being exposed to ads involving sports betting, poker, and online casino games for real money.

“Too many young people are being exposed to online gambling through constant advertising and unprecedented access from their phones and devices,” said Flick. “These bills are about putting reasonable safeguards in place, promoting responsible gaming and helping ensure that young people and families are protected from gambling-related harm.”

New Pennsylvania online casino revenue record

The amount of revenue that Pennsylvania gambling sites are raking in continues to increase year after year. The $2.78 billion iGaming revenue figure from 2025 was up 27.22% from the previous year, when PA online casinos netted $2.18 billion.

While the Keystone State doesn’t break its iGaming revenue numbers down by game type, we can reasonably assume that the bulk of it comes from real money online slots.

Sports betting also experienced a record year, hitting $602.5 million, up 17.97% from 2025. The vast majority of this amount came via online sports gambling. 

While this revenue increase is good for some of the best online casinos and sportsbooks in the state, it can also spell potential underlying problems. Khan and Flick are seeking to reduce some issues through their bills.

Responsible gambling

Bettors must be 21 years or older and otherwise eligible to register and place wagers at online casinos. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please seek assistance from trained professionals such as the Problem Gambling Help Network at 1-800-MY-RESET.

The state House passed a bill on Tuesday that would make “gas station heroin” illegal in Pennsylvania. Officials say it is a dangerous and highly addictive substance popping up across the country.

Tianeptine is a highly addictive opioid-like drug not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA says the substance has been linked to hundreds of overdoses and deaths, including one overdose death in Fayette County in April.

“Although it’s not approved by the FDA for any medical use, it’s being sold in stores and online, putting Pennsylvanians at risk,” said state Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa on the House floor before the vote.

House Bill 377 would prohibit the manufacture, delivery, or possession of the drug with intent to manufacture or deliver. The bill would make it a felony with up to five years in prison or a fine of up to $15,000.

In April, the Fayette County coroner reported Fayette County’s first accidental overdose death due to tianeptine.

“In his public statement, he warned that this highly addictive substance can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, respiratory depression, seizures and death. He urged lawmakers to act before this problem grows into an epidemic,” Rep. Krupa said. 

Rep. Krupa is a co-sponsor of the bill. She spoke on the House floor, urging all members to vote for it.

“Members, this is not a partisan issue. Protecting our communities and saving lives should unite us all,” Rep. Krupa said.

Two Democratic representatives serving Allegheny County, including Rep. Emily Kinkead, were the only ones to vote against the bill. She said she thinks prohibiting tianeptine from being sold or distributed will help, but she thinks criminalizing people for possessing it does not help.

“The Drug Control Act is very much a sledgehammer and not a chisel, and we know that criminalizing substance use disorder is not effective in actually treating it,” Kinkead said. “And the Drug Control Act, the mere possession of a controlled substance that’s covered under the act is a felony, and it’s up to five years in prison. And we know that does not work to address drug issues in our communities.”

She hopes that lawmakers can tackle controlled substances with a more nuanced approach.

“We need to go back to the mere possession portion of the Drug Control Act and actually lighten that sentence and address that piece of it so that we can be treating substance use disorder the way that it should be treated, which is a health problem and not a criminal problem,” said Kinkead.

The bill now heads to the state Senate.

Nokia today announced a major expansion of its advanced test and packaging (ATP) operations in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The investment will increase domestic production capacity of the optical networking technologies that power scalable AI infrastructure connectivity across the United States. The expansion is expected to nearly double Nokia’s Pennsylvania workforce to more than 500 jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and R&D, while generating a projected economic impact of more than $500M over the next five years.

Today, less than two percent of global semiconductor ATP takes place in the U.S. Nokia’s Allentown facility is one of only a few in the U.S. providing ATP of photonic chips into optical modules for use in AI and telecom infrastructure. Through investment in new manufacturing equipment and an expanded manufacturing footprint, Nokia is increasing the site’s production capacity by up to 10 times its current level, with new capacity expected to be commercially available by the end of the third quarter.

Nokia’s optical technologies provide advanced connectivity solutions for telecom networks to enable AI infrastructure and can reduce energy usage by as much as 75 percent. Nokia’s investment results in the domestic manufacturing of components used in AI infrastructure, creates new jobs, and significantly reduces energy usage in AI communications.

“The AI supercycle is fundamentally reshaping network and infrastructure requirements in the U.S. and globally. Our expansion in Allentown is a direct investment in that future—scaling domestic manufacturing of the optical networking technologies that power AI infrastructure. It also reflects the strong partnership between Nokia, the United States, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to support advanced manufacturing, create jobs, and strengthen U.S. technology leadership and global competitiveness,” said Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia.

“Nokia is doubling down on the Lehigh Valley and ensuring that the future of chip production continues to run through this region because we’ve made smart investments to make Pennsylvania more competitive and proven that our Commonwealth is a great place to do business,” said Governor Shapiro. “As demand for semiconductors continues to grow across industries, we’ll continue to position Pennsylvania as a leader in innovation, with a supportive, thriving business climate that helps companies compete on a global scale. From advanced manufacturing to the research and development of new technology like advanced chip packaging, Pennsylvania has all the resources to be a world leader in chip production.”

“This is great news for Pennsylvania. Nokia is doubling its local workforce to more than 500 good-paying jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and R&D, all while expanding our ability to domestically produce the critical technologies that power AI infrastructure. This matters for both our economy and our national security,” said Senator Dave McCormick. “These technologies also help cut energy use in AI communications, showing that we can lead on innovation while also smartly managing our resources at the same time.”

“Nokia’s investment in Pennsylvania is directly advancing America’s AI leadership,” said Bill Frauenhofer, Executive Director of Semiconductor Investment and Innovation at the Department of Commerce. “Supported by CHIPS and Science Act funding, Nokia is deepening its commitment to innovation and the production of photonic chips in the United States. This project enables critical optical technology and strengthens America’s semiconductor supply chain.”

“Nokia’s latest investment is further proof that the Lehigh Valley is becoming a world leader in advanced manufacturing,” said U.S. Congressman Ryan Mackenzie. “With the help of our unparalleled, highly-skilled workforce, Nokia’s local expansion will help our region continue to drive innovation and build the tools behind next-generation technologies. Congratulations to Nokia and the hundreds of local workers who will benefit from this investment.”

The investment includes approximately $30 million from Nokia, which includes bipartisan support of approximately $4 million in assistance from the state of Pennsylvania and approximately $10 million in federal CHIPS investment tax credit. This expansion is part of Nokia’s multi-year plan to invest $4 billion in R&D and manufacturing in the U.S. for AI-ready network connectivity. It is designed to bolster domestic supply chains for critical communications infrastructure, reinforce U.S. leadership in the technologies shaping the global AI economy and solidify Pennsylvania’s growing role as a hub for advanced manufacturing, telecommunications technology and AI infrastructure.