Philadelphia, PA 19125. The thrills don’t end on our gaming floor! Catch live shows from headlining acts, intimate concerts. Hotel and Casino Philadelphia is a planned casino in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, expected to open in 2021. It is planned to have 240 hotel rooms, 2,000 slot machines, and 125 table games. It is being developed by The Cordish Companies. Cordish also operates Xfinity Live! The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) is a governmental agency which licenses, regulates, and oversees all overseeing slot machines and casino gambling in the state of Pennsylvania. You can find out more about them on their website. What Kind of Deposit Options Are Available? Making a deposit couldn’t be simpler. Valley Forge Casino Resort. 1160 First Avenue. King of Prussia, PA 19406. 610-354-8118. Rivers Casino is Philadelphia's hottest gaming destination on the waterfront with thrilling slots & table games, live entertainment & the best restaurants.

While Live! Casino Philadelphia remains in soft-opening mode until the evening of Feb. 11, you can be in-house for Super Bowl LV a few days earlier on Feb. 7.

And while Live! is pushing reservation entry, you may even be able to walk right in on that Sunday to sample the excitement of the biggest day in US sports wagering, according to senior vice president of marketing Mario Maesano.

The game begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS. And Live! is throwing a party.

“We plan to celebrate in a big way,” said Maesano.

Live! is “effectively open now”

He explained:

“We are effectively open now. You can make a reservation, but you can also walk up. Reservations are not required.”

Still, since the new PA casino opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, capacity remains limited, just like at the state’s other casino properties.

Maesano still thinks reserving a spot is the smart play.

Live has adopted an extensive “Play It Safe” plan to limit crowding and increase safety, and capacity has sometimes maxed out, he said.

Celebrating the Super Bowl with Live! promos

Live!’s Sports & Social area, with its lounge seating, bar, restaurant and screen-filled entertainment center, along with the FanDuel Sportsbook retail wagering area, will be central to taking in the game between Tampa Bay and Kansas City, the slight favorite by 3 or 3.5 points across PA online sports betting apps.

But the entire casino will be in party mode that day.

Maesano said player demand for space in Sports & Social has been greater than expected, and the space holds only about 100.

Pick ’em — choose the game winner, not the spread — is offered at kiosks across the gaming floor.

On the floor, 55 players — it is the 55th Big Game — will get selected for $100 in free play, said Maesano.

Additionally, Live! will have a prize patrol roving the gaming floor, handing out hometown Eagles gear — you know, the local team from just down the street that won the Super Bowl way back in 2018.

Live! sportsbook online via FanDuel

To avoid the sometimes crowded spaces, dedicated Live! players can make sports wagers online via FanDuel, using the casino’s offer code, said Maesano.

If you are new to NFL betting, be sure to check out our PA Super Bowl betting guide.

Only a few more finishing touches

The casino’s signature restaurant, Prime Rib, will not yet be open. Three of seven outlets in the food court known as 10th Street Market will also not be open on game day.

Sugarhouse Casino Philly

But otherwise, Maesano said,

“We’re open for business. Make a reservation. We’re ready!”

PlayPennsylvania recently published a three-part lead-up series highlighting all you can expect from the newest Philadelphia casino. Catch up here:

• Part 1: Cordish won’t let pandemic derail new casino plans
• Part 2: In a prime location, Live! is the “casino built for Philadelphia”
• Part 3: Community is everything for Philly’s first destination casino

And for a sneak peek at the shiny new property in Philly, have a look here.

COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania are at record highs. On Nov. 13, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that there were 5,531 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 254,387. It is the fourth consecutive day that the state has reported a record number of cases.

Play Pennsylvania asked the PA Department of Health if the rising numbers meant a return to the color-coded phases and possible temporary closures for casinos in Pennsylvania.

A representative responded:

“There is no plan at this time to return to the red, yellow, green mitigation steps and stay-at-home order that occurred in the spring.”

Some tips to slow the spread

The PA Department of Health reiterated that it was very concerned about the increase in cases. The representative said:

“We currently have protections in place, like wearing a mask and limits on large gatherings. Pennsylvanians can stop the spread. It is all of our responsibility to do the right thing. These are things that we can continue to do to stop the spread of COVID-19:

• Teleworking.
• Isolating or quarantining if you test positive or have exposure to someone who has.
• Businesses limiting capacity to 50%.”

More restrictions for Philadelphia?

Of the record number of cases reported on Friday, 1,158 were from Philadelphia. Mayor Jim Kenney’s office did not provide any indication of what its “changes in restrictions” might be and said they are still being finalized. Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley earlier this week said all restrictions are being considered, even a complete lockdown, according to Yahoo! News.

Rivers Casino Philadelphia is currently the only casino within the city limits. Live! Casino Philadelphia is expected to open in early 2021.

Rivers Philadelphia closed in mid-March and reopened on July 17. It experienced the longest closure of all 12 casinos in the commonwealth.

We must do everything we can to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Philadelphia. Specific details are still being finalized, but we plan to announce changes to restrictions on Monday, November 16. https://t.co/fgAPsfbU3P

— Jim #MaskUpPHL Kenney (@PhillyMayor) November 13, 2020

Health and safety protocols at PA casinos

Before you visit a casino in Pennsylvania, there are few things you should know. Your next visit will look different than your previous pre-coronavirus-closure casino excursion. Per the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), all casinos in the state must follow COVID-19 Casino Reopening Protocols, which detail the minimum safety and health-related requirements that are mandatory before reopening.

Key points to remember are:

• Casinos can reopen at 50% capacity.
• Employees and guests must wear masks.
• There are markings on the floor to promote social distancing.
• Enhanced cleaning is required throughout the facility.

Eating, drinking and smoking at PA casinos

In addition to the increased health and safety measures, some staples of casino visits have been put on a temporary pause.

Alcohol can only be served when food is purchased. Drink service on the casino floor is prohibited.

These new rules went into effect well before the November record-breaking numbers.

Under the guidance of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the PGCB, there is currently no smoking in Pennsylvania casinos either (effective July 3).

Gov. Tom Wolf and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine signed orders that mandated restaurants can’t serve alcohol for on-site consumption past 11 p.m. (effective Sept 21).

Casinos Near Philly Pa

Hours of PA casinos

Casinos in Pennsylvania started to close in mid-March to slow the spread of coronavirus. They were closed for over 100 days before the first few started welcoming back guests in June. However, not all returned to around-the-clock operations.

Casinos in PA open 24 hours:

• Parx
• Presque Isle
• Rivers Casino Philadelphia
• Rivers Casino Pittsburgh (starting Nov. 16)
• Mount Airy Casino
• Wind Creek Casino
• Mohegan Sun Pocono
• Harrah’s Philadelphia

Casinos In Philadelphia

Hours of other casinos in PA

The Meadows:

• Sunday-Thursday, 8-4 a.m.
• Friday-Saturday, 8-5 a.m.

Valley Forge Casino :

• Monday-Thursday, 10-3 a.m. Open 24 hours, 10 a.m. Friday through 3 a.m. Monday.

Hollywood Casino:

• Closed daily from 4 to 8 a.m. for deep cleaning.

Lady Luck Nemacolin:

• Open 24 hours for slot gaming
• Table games hours:
  Monday-Friday, 3-12 a.m.
  Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m.-12 a.m.

1% of casino employees test positive

The PGCB released figures last week that showed that fewer than 1% of casinos employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the 12 brick-and-mortar locations opened in June. Rivers Pittsburgh had 28 cases and Parx had 25. A full breakdown can be found here.

Online casinos in PA

If you are 21+ and physically located in Pennsylvania, you don’t even have to leave your home to play. There are now 11 online casinos in Pennsylvania. Things got even livelier this week as Caesars and FanDuellaunched online live dealer games.

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar