It was the passing of this particular legislation that then shifted the focus to legalizing casinos over the next two decades. The furthest back we go is 1971, a time when the government-run PA state lottery was established under Act 91. The state residents and authorities are known to have a more laid-back view towards online gambling compared to most other US states, and since gambling in the state has been legalized, revenues from gambling have been used to boost the state’s financial deficit, strengthen the economy and generate employment. The history of gambling in Pennsylvania that we will be taking a quick look at here is only a recent history. Gambling History in the US State of Pennsylvania