Sands Bethlehem Casino Resort is one of the largest and most successful casinos in Pennsylvania. In fact, its annual revenues are second only to Parx Casino, according to state figures.
The casino, which opened in 2009, is built on the site of the former Bethlehem Steel company. However, the casino will likely change its name quite soon.
In March 2018, Wind Creek Hospitality purchased the Bethlehem property. The future of the site remains unclear, but the “Sands” part of the name will certainly disappear.
However, like all Pennsylvania casino properties, the value of Sands Bethlehem is about to skyrocket. Online gambling in the Keystone State should launch sometime in 2018.
Courtesy of an October 2017 law, Pennsylvania is now an online gambling state. The law, signed by Gov. Tom Wolf, authorizes online slots, table games, poker, daily fantasy sports, sports betting, and other types of gambling.
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Sands Bethlehem online casino platform
So far, 11 of the 13 eligible Pennsylvania casinos have applied for some form of online gambling license. Sands Bethlehem is one of them, applying on behalf of its new ownership group.
However, neither Wind Creek nor Sands has a relationship with a technology provider that could bring online betting to fruition. The casino will require some sort of platform partner to proceed in the online space, but given how fluid the gambling industry is right now, a deal could happen at any time. There is always the possibility they try to build something in-house. The rush to get online ahead of the competition makes that possibility too time-consuming.
Any provider will have to offer solutions for both browser and mobile gameplay. Pennsylvania has used New Jersey‘s approach to online gambling as its model, and most New Jersey online casinos offer both versions of play.
Pennsylvania regulations will also be explicit regarding geolocation technology. Players will have to prove that they are physically within state lines to play.
Games at Sands Bethlehem online casino
Obviously, we can’t know exactly what games will appear in the Sands Bethlehem Online Casino. However, the games offered on the land-based side do provide a clue to what we might see.
Sands Bethlehem Blackjack
Sands Bethlehem offers patrons a wide swath of Blackjack variations. These variations can amount to anything from extra side bets to structurally-changed options.
They are:
- Free Bet Blackjack
- Players can double down or split their hands for free. However, the game pushes if the dealer lands on 22.
- Blazing 7s
- An extra bet makes a player eligible for a progressive jackpot. The values of the players’ and dealer’s cards determine the outcome.
- 21+3 Xtreme
- A side bet that causes the player cards and the dealer’s up card to form a three-card poker hand. Successful combination pay out as much as 30 times your bet.
- King’s Bounty
- A side bet that the player’s first two cards will equal 20. Also, two kings of spades will pay out a jackpot.
- House Money
- A side bet in which the player’s first two cards are worth extra cash if they are Ace-King suited, a straight flush, a pair, or a straight. If the player wins, they then have the option to add their winnings to their original bet.
It is extremely likely that at least some or all of these variations will show up in the Sands Bethlehem Online Casino. Some of these variations already appear on other sites, so bringing them to market will be fairly simple. Please note that all these variants will not be to the exclusion of normal blackjack – they’ll be in addition to the standard game.
Other Sands Bethlehem table games
As one of Pennsylvania’s larger casinos, Sands Bethlehem offers a wide array of other table games, too. Some of them are quite rare, most notably Criss Cross Poker.
Criss Cross Poker is a table game based loosely on Texas Hold’em. Players receive two hole cards, then the standard Hold’em community cards are dealt in a cross-like pattern. Players bet on both the row and column to make winning five card hands.
The other table games at Sands Bethlehem include:
- Baccarat
- Big Six
- Caribbean Stud Poker
- Craps
- Fortune Pai Gow Poker
- Let It Ride
- Mini and Midi Baccarat
- Roulette
- Sic Bo
- Texas Hold’em Bonus
- Three Card Poker
- War
How many of these will appear on the Sands Bethlehem app is undetermined. However, one goal of any corresponding app is to mirror the land-based experience, so most of them will likely be there.
Sands Bethlehem slots
Sands Bethlehem has roughly 3,000 slot machines onsite. Slots will certainly be present in its online casino.
Some of Sands Bethlehem’s top slots are:
- Ghostbusters
- Godzilla
- Grease
- The Hangover
- Michael Jackson
- Powerball
- Wheel of Fortune Triple Spin Extreme
Sands Bethlehem also has several video poker options at its site. It stands to reason that video poker will be a part of the online version of the casino.
Sands Bethlehem/Wind Creek rewards Programs
Sands owner Sheldon Adelson has long been an outspoken opponent of online gambling. So, an online casino won’t occur while Sands Bethlehem is still under his control.
How a membership in the current My Sands rewards program would transfer to Wind Creek Hospitality‘s rewards system is unclear. However, an online casino under the brand would certainly include a rewards club.
Wind Creek Rewards is already a robust program at its properties. New players receive up to $1,000 in free play and a $10 food credit.
How much of that largesse would extend to online players is unclear. However, it’s a good bet that Wind Creek will not be stingy in its new online home.
Banking options at Sands Bethlehem Online Casino
There will be a multitude of options to deposit and withdraw on the Sands Bethlehem Online Casino. They will likely be some mixture of the following:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Neteller
- E-checks
- Bank wire
- Check
- PayPal
- Deposits at the Sands Bethlehem cage
It is also possible that the online casino will accept cryptocurrencies. So, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other options may also appear on the list.
Sands Bethlehem Online Casino customer service
Sands Bethlehem will maintain phone, email, and probably live chat support 24/7. There will also be an FAQ section that will address many common problems.
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