Pennsylvania sports bettors now have a second iOS app to choose from in the Apple App Store.
Last week, Parx was the only one of the four PA online betting apps not to have an option for iPhone and iPad users. That is no longer the case.
Parx first new iPhone app to get in the app store
As of Monday, Aug. 5, Parx Casino Sportsbook is available for download in the app store. It is the first new addition to the Apple App Store from the Keystone State and the first in the US since Borgata Sport launched in May.
As of Monday, Aug. 5, While FanDuel was first to bring an app to the PA market, the app was already in the app store from when the sportsbook launched in New Jersey. The only new component was an update.
Parx, meanwhile, has done what numerous new apps failed to do: Get accepted by Apple.
Playin Pennsylvania previously reported that there are two different issues at play when it comes to new iPhone gambling apps and the Apple store. The first is a concrete update to the terms and conditions. That update came on June 3 and specifically said real-money gaming apps have until Sept. 3 to move fully to native iOS coding.
The second issue is a little murkier. As we reported back in May, many operators were struggling to gain Apple approval because the apps were effectively “wrapped” versions of the casino or sportsbook websites. While there was no specific rules or parameters, the general feedback was that the apps needed to be more app-like.
Whatever Parx did to be app-like was enough, so now it has an advantage others have been trying to obtain for months.
Parx app only for sports betting, not for casino
Currently, the app is only for the Parx online sportsbook. There is still no iPhone access for Parx Online Casino customers. PlaySugarHouse remains the only PA online casino accessible on iPhones. Even that is not through an app, but via iPhone browser and in tandem with the GeoGuard app.
Currently, the app is only for the Parx online sportsbook. There is still no iPhone access for While the Parx Sportsbook is making forward progress, it seems as though Parx Casino is trending in the wrong direction. The site is currently the only site to remove game titles from its PA online casino library.
A couple of weeks ago, Parx removed the Deuces Wild variant of video poker from its offerings. This week, a couple of slot titles, including African Diamond and China Shores, are no longer available on the site either.
When asked about the removal of Deuces Wild, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) spokesperson Doug Harbach had the following to say about its removal:
“Parx made the decision in concert with their provider and with the PGCB.”
It is unclear whether or not the removal of these more recent titles has anything to do with the iPhone app launch.
Parx app powered by GAN and Kambi
You might have to hunt a little to find Parx Sportsbook in the app store, as it is not the top search result for Parx. Once you do find it though, the product bears a strong resemblance to the online sportsbook you are already familiar with if you have played on Parx before.
Some users reported some hiccups in installing the app and starting up a new account, but early hiccups have been a common trend across online gambling launches in Pennsylvania.
