Cumberland County’s first casino’s opening is in the final countdown after Parx Casino confirmed the ceremony will take place in three weeks. The new location in Shippensburg will become Pennsylvania’s fourth Category 4 casino on February 3.
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Category 4 are considered “satellite casinos," and are allowed to operate 300-750 slot machines and a maximum of 30 table games. These "mini-casinos" are not allowed to be within 25 of Pennsylvania's Category 1, 2 or 3 casinos.
The Commonwealth’s three other Category 4 casinos are in York County, Westmoreland County and Lawrence County. Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment will operate the 73,000-square-foot Parx Casino location, which is replacing a former Lowes right off I-81.
The Parx Casino will officially open its doors on Friday, February 3. According to the property's website, the casino will feature 500 slot machines, 48 electronic table game positions, restaurants, and bars.
Parx Casino in Bensalem
The upcoming mini-casino expands Greenwood’s operations in the state. Its Parx Casino in Bensalem is today Pennsylvania’s top-grossing casino in annual revenue. The company had secured a Category 4 license for a satellite property by being the high bidder during a Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) auction round in 2018.
The new casino will also add to Pennsylvania’s current offering of 16 brick-and-mortar casinos, 65 truck stops that house video gaming terminals (VGTs), 19 iGaming websites, 18 retail sportsbooks, and 14 online sports betting platforms.