Hollywood Casino review: PENN's standalone app, a 1x credit offer and state lists that disagree
PENN relaunched Hollywood Casino as its own app in December 2024, with 500+ games and PENN Play rewards. We read the official promotion terms and two independent reviews to see who benefits and who is better off elsewhere.
Our verdict
Hollywood Casino is a clean, fast app with PENN Game Studios exclusives, and the offer is easy to understand: wager $5 and credits carry a 1x requirement. Its best feature, PENN Play, matters most to people who already visit PENN casinos. Players outside that program get a decent but unremarkable lobby, state lists that differ by source, and withdrawal speed claims that range from minutes to a 48-hour hold.
Best for: Players in PA, MI or WV who already collect PENN Play rewards
PENN Entertainment ran an online Hollywood Casino with IGT in Pennsylvania until November 2023. It then rebuilt the brand from scratch, and in December 2024 a standalone Hollywood Casino app went live in Pennsylvania. The question for a player who has never touched PENN's rewards program is simple: is there a reason to pick this app over the better-known names?
Our answer is a cautious maybe. The app is tidy and the credit offer is honest about what it is. But the most distinctive thing PENN has, its PENN Play loyalty scheme, is worth most to people who already walk through PENN casinos. Everyone else is judging a good lobby on its merits, and the house edge applies there as everywhere.
What the offer actually says
Offers on this brand depend on the promo code you use, and the figures diverge. Hollywood's own help centre publishes terms for a "New Player $50 in PENN Play Credits & 50 Bonus Spins" promotion: register with a promotion code, place a first casino cash wager of $5 or more, and receive $50 in PENN Play Credits plus 50 spins valued at $0.20 each. That page shows a promotion period of 20 March to 31 August 2025, so it has lapsed.
Two details in those terms matter more than the headline. The credits carry a one-times wager requirement, which is light, and credits and spins must be used within 30 days. Current offers on review sites are bigger: Casino.org lists 300 spins after a $5 bet, plus up to $500 back in credits on net losses in the first 24 hours.
That second offer is not free money. You receive credits only if you lose, and Casino.org says as much, calling it a safety net. We would not deposit more than planned because of it.
Where it works, and which source to believe
Casino.org says live in Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia. Crossing Broad lists PA, NJ, WV and MI. We cannot settle that, so look at the state list inside the app before you download. Eligibility is 21+ inside a legal state, with identity checks to match.
Using the app
The homepage invitation is "Jump into games faster: just click to play", and the footer shows that the platform is run by Penn Sports Interactive, with a reference to theScore Bet. At launch the app could also be reached with an ESPN Bet login, and Crossing Broad now says you can open it through theScore Bet instead.
Crossing Broad's tester found a clean layout, fast pages, no glitches and a library that included live dealer tables and exclusive titles. Casino.org counts 500+ games, while launch coverage claimed 700+. Casino.org also noted complaints from iOS users, which the Android tester did not share.
Cashing out, and the rewards that confuse
Reports on payout speed do not agree. Casino.org lists instant PayPal, Venmo and Skrill withdrawals, and the Crossing Broad tester withdrew to a debit card and checking account within minutes. A VegasInsider review, which we could not open directly, is reported to criticise a mandatory 48-hour hold. If speed matters to you, request a small withdrawal first and time it.
PENN Play is the other draw. Casino.org says you earn one tier point for every $12 wagered on slots or $10 on table games, online or at PENN locations. Crossing Broad's tester found the credits confusing at first, unsure whether they counted as cash. They are a playable balance, not cash.
A cheap way to test the claims
Because the sources split on withdrawal speed, run your own trial. Register, verify your identity early, and wager the $5 minimum. Then request a small cashout by the method you plan to use and note the time stamps on the request and the arrival.
Do the same with the credits: check the expiry date shown in your account, since the official terms give 30 days. If the numbers in the app differ from this review, trust the app, because offers on this brand change by promo code and by month.
Who it suits
Pick Hollywood Casino if you live in one of the listed states, already collect PENN Play points and want online play to count toward them. Players with no PENN connection should compare lobbies and payout speeds first, since the offer is a reason to try rather than a reason to stay.
Gamble only what you can afford to lose. Limits are available inside the app. In the US, call 1-800-GAMBLER for free help.
What held up, and what did not
Pros
- Standalone app with a clean layout and exclusives from PENN Game Studios
- Credits carry only a 1x wager requirement, per the official promotion terms
- PENN Play ties online play to rewards at PENN casinos
- Reviewers report PayPal, Venmo and debit card withdrawals within minutes
Cons
- Reported withdrawal speed conflicts: minutes in two reviews, a 48-hour hold in one
- Sources disagree on states: PA, MI and WV, with NJ added by one
- Offer details vary by promo code, from $50 and 50 spins to $500 and 300 spins
- Some iOS users complain about the app, per Casino.org
Key facts
- Launch
- Standalone app in Pennsylvania, December 2024
- States
- PA, MI and WV (Casino.org); NJ also listed by Crossing Broad
- Game count
- 500+ (Casino.org); 700+ at launch (press coverage)
- Official offer (2025 terms)
- $50 PENN Play Credits and 50 spins at $0.20 for a $5 wager
- Affiliate offer
- 300 spins plus up to $500 in credits on first-day losses
- Credit wagering
- One times, to be used within 30 days (official terms)
- Rewards
- PENN Play: 1 tier point per $12 on slots, $10 on tables (Casino.org)
- Minimum age
- 21+
- Platforms
- iOS and Android app, plus web