Pennsylvania self-exclusion enrolments climb 18% in a record revenue year
Pennsylvania recorded 9,677 new self-exclusion enrolments in fiscal year 2025/26, up 18.1% on the year before, with more than 30,000 people enrolled in total, as reported by CDC Gaming from the state regulator's annual report. In the same year the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board says gaming revenue reached a record $7.05 billion.
South Africa has no licensed online casino market, so there is no local self-exclusion register for online casino play to compare. The Pennsylvania figures still show a pattern that applies to any country where online casinos are easy to reach: more spending and more people asking for a break tend to rise together. For South African players, who rely on offshore operators with their own tools, it is a reminder to set your own limits early.
What the figures show
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) published its 20th annual report on 30 September 2026, covering the 2025/26 fiscal year. The board reports record overall gaming revenue of $7.05 billion and $3.1 billion in tax revenue, with 22 sites offering online casino-type games.
The self-exclusion numbers come from CDC Gaming's reading of the same report. It says there were 9,677 new enrolments in the year, against 8,197 a year earlier, an increase of 18.1%, and that more than 30,000 people are now enrolled. We could not open the full PDF report this session, so the enrolment figures rest on that trade report.
Why the two numbers sit together
The board's release does not link the rise in enrolments to the rise in revenue, and we should not either. Both are growing, and online play has expanded in the state since the first online casino opened in 2019. CasinoBeats, which also covered the report, notes a state estimate from 2025 that between 2.5% and 6.4% of adults could be classed as problem gamblers. That is a modelled estimate, not a count.
What it means for South African players
Self-exclusion is a regulated tool in Pennsylvania: licensed operators have to honour the register. In South Africa, online casinos are offered by operators licensed elsewhere, so what is available depends on each operator. The figures argue for using whatever tools exist, such as deposit limits and cool-off periods, and for adding device-level blocking if you want a break.
Gambling is entertainment with real financial risk. If it is causing harm, our responsible gambling page lists local support.
What to watch next
The PGCB has proposed wider regulation changes, including limits on casino advertising, according to CasinoBeats. Whether they are adopted, and whether enrolments keep rising, will show how far regulators think tools alone are enough.