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The best PA online casinos for real money gambling on slots, online poker, online blackjack, sports and more in Pennsylvania. Get started with the best bonus offers at legal PA sites.
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Online casino gaming is now a legalized and regulated activity in Pennsylvania. PA online casino players need no longer risk their hard-earned money at unregulated offshore online casinos. They can choose from 11 licensed PA online casinos for real money in their state.
The US state is now home to well-known online casinos like BetRivers, BetMGM, Barstool, FanDuel, Hollywood Casino, PokerStars, Betway, Borgata, Unibet, DraftKings, and Caesars.
The following review will help you identify the best real money PA online casino sites that can best satisfy your gaming requirements. We recommend BetRivers as the best overall online casino for PA players because of its slots tournaments, multi-vendor jackpot games, and loyalty rewards.
BetRivers: Best overall
BetMGM: Top welcome bonus
FanDuel: Best casino games
Borgata: Best sign up offer
Unibet: Top live dealer games
Highlights
Apps for iOS and Android devices
39 jackpot games
Exclusive RushRace slot tournaments
11-tiered iRush rewards program
569 games from eight providers
Win up to $30k in daily Slingo drawings
Introduction
BetRivers is an online casino and sportsbook serving players physically located in Pennsylvania. The online gambling site belongs to Rivers IP Holdings and operates in Pennsylvania with a license granted by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Enjoy 569 online casino games and sports betting services at BetRivers Pennsylvania and receive rewards for your loyalty and gambling activities.
Bonuses & Promotions
BetRivers Casino welcomes new Pennsylvania players with a casino bonus of 100% up to $250. After consuming your welcome bonus, you can participate in daily Slingo drawings and win a daily top prize of $1,000.
Participate in iRush Rewards, one of the top rewards programs in Pennsylvania. Earn loyalty points for real money play and redeem them in the Bonus Store. Boost your bankroll by playing daily slot tournaments and earn double loyalty points during happy hours.
Games & Software
BetRivers Casino offers 569 online casino games from eight software providers—Scientific Games, IGT, AGS, Konami, Red Tiger, DGC, Everi, and Lightning. The library has live dealer games, table & card games, video poker, online slots, online blackjack, and Slingo.
The top online slots at BetRivers are Dynamite Cash, Wildfire Wins, Sonic Links, and Lightning Gorilla, to mention a few. Play 39 jackpot games, including Double Jackpot, Divine Fortune, and Shamrock.
Play in your browser or download native apps for Android and iOS.
Banking Options
You can make quick, safe, and secure deposits with PayNearMe, Vanilla, BetRivers Play+ Card, credit/debit cards, PayPal, and online banking at BetRivers Casino.
Payouts are quick because of a feature called RushPay, which allows the online casino to approve 80% of withdrawal requests instantly. You can request a payout through PayPal, Check by Mail, Cash at the Casino Cage, ACH, or BetRivers/SugarHouse Play+ Card.
Customer Support
BetRivers Casino offers an exhaustive help center with a search bar and detailed answers to beginner questions. Support chat is available 24/7, but you need to enter your name and email address to start chatting.
Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or call 1(800)563-0241.
Play Now at BetRivers for Real Money
Highlights
Refer a friend and get a $50 bonus
Get $25 on the house on sign up
Play 34 jackpot games
1,000+ games from multiple software providers
Up to $1,000 welcome offer on the first deposit
Online casino, sportsbook, and online poker room
Introduction
BetMGM is an online casino, poker room, and sportsbook for Pennsylvania players. The operator BetMGM LLC has received a license to operate in Pennsylvania from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
The online casino bagged the Casino Operator of the Year Award at SBC Awards 2022. Enjoy exclusive gaming content, including 34 jackpot games, lucrative promotions, refer-a-friend bonuses, and loyalty rewards.
BetMGM encourages social interaction via the social networks Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Bonuses & Promotions
Start playing your favorite games at BetMGM Casino by claiming a welcome casino bonus of 100% up to $1,000 on your first deposit. Before that, you can claim a no-deposit bonus of $25. Refer your friends to BetMGM Casino and get a bonus of $50 per friend.
If you are an online blackjack player, log in every Wednesday and wager $50 on Premium Online Blackjack Pro SP to get 25 bonus spins on Bellagio Fountains of Fortune. Join MGM Rewards, earn rewards points for real money play, and redeem them for discounts at MGM Resorts properties.
Games & Software
There are more than 1,000 online casino games in the BetMGM Casino library. Games from multiple software providers, including Scientific Games, IGT, Everi, DGC, AGS, Red Tiger, and NetEnt populate the online casino lobby.
Enjoy 100+ table games, 34 jackpot games, and 1096 online slots, along with 40+ new games, live dealer games, and exclusive games at the online casino. The featured games include Wolf Guardian, Eagles Flight, Teatime Treasures, Dangerous Beauty, and Double Dinosaur Deluxe.
Banking Options
Make quick deposits using VIP Preferred ACH/e-Check, Play+ cards, MasterCard and Visa, American Express, PayPal, Electronic Transfer, PayNearMe, Online Banking, Apple Pay, and MGM Rewards.
Withdrawals take 24 hours to process for Visa, Play+ prepaid card, and PayPal. MasterCard takes 1-3 working days, VIP Preferred, Instant Banking, and Online Banking take 2-3 business days, Cash at the Casino Cage takes 10-12 hours, and Check by Mail takes 7-21 days.
Customer Support
Click on Help & Contact at the top of the website to read detailed answers to commonly asked questions on account verification, banking, and other issues. Contact a customer support agent via 24/7 customer service if you cannot find the required information.
The online casino responds fast to emails to [email protected] or calls to 267-825-7023.
Play Now at BetMGM for Real Money
Highlights
Welcome cashback bonus of up to $1,000
$100 refer-a-friend bonus
Guarantees a jackpot win daily
Dedicated apps for iOS and Android
500+ games from noted software providers
Up to $2,000 in bonuses daily
Bonuses with 1x wagering requirement
Introduction
The latest online casino games are available at FanDuel Casino for Pennsylvania players. You can claim a cashback of up to $1,000 on the losses you incur during your first 24 hours of real money play.
In addition to online casino games, FanDuel offers fantasy sports, horse betting, and online sports betting in Pennsylvania on a license granted by the Pennsylvania Gambling Control Board.
Enjoy multi-vendor games, live casino, daily jackpots, and daily rewards at the online casino.
Bonuses & Promotions
FanDuel Casino welcomes new players with a cashback bonus of up to $1,000. The online casino credits $5 – $1,000 based on the losses you incur during your first 24 hours of play.
Spin the Reward Machine daily to win up to $2,000 in casino bonuses, win a guaranteed jackpot daily, claim a $100 bonus for every depositing friend you refer to the online casino, and win $65,000 in prizes every month in the Rapid Rewards promotion.
FanDuel Casino bonuses have a wagering requirement of 1x.
Games & Software
FanDuel Casino offers 500+ online casino games from multiple software providers, including well-known ones like Microgaming, IGT, and NetEnt. The library has game categories like online blackjack, roulette, table games, jackpot games, and all games.
The library includes 62 jackpot games, including those that guarantee daily jackpots. Enjoy featured casino games like American Roulette, Vault Cracker, and online Blackjack Classic.
Play in your browser or download dedicated apps for Android and iOS.
Banking Options
You can deposit and withdraw with PayPal, ACH/e-Check, MasterCard and Visa, PayNearMe, Green Dot MoneyPark, Wire Transfer, FanDuel Racing Prepaid Card, and Wire Transfer at FanDuel Casino.
Withdrawals via eCheck typically require 3 to 5 working days to process, while Visa Debit and PayPal withdrawals can take 24 hours or less. If you opt for FanDuel racing prepaid card withdrawals, expect it to take around 25 hours. Alternatively, you can request a check withdrawal, but note that processing times may take between 3 to 10 working days.
Request a payout through Wire Transfer before 1:30 p.m. PST to receive your winnings by the end of the day.
Customer Support
Live support is available 24/7 at FanDuel Casino. You can send FanDuel Casino a direct message on Twitter at the support handle @FanDuel_Support or a private message on Facebook. FanDuel customer support agents are available from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. ET daily and respond to messages within one hour.
You can also use the online contact form to send FanDuel a message and get a response within 12 – 24 hours. Alternatively, you can leave a voicemail at 609-224-1019.
Play Now at FanDuel for Real Money
Highlights
$20 no deposit bonus
1,000+ games from multiple software providers
38 jackpot games
Online casino, sportsbook, and poker room
Five-tiered Borgata Online Rewards Program
Nine live dealer games
Introduction
Borgata Online offers online sports betting, online poker, bingo, and live dealer games.
The online casino belongs to BetMGM LLC, which offers online gambling services in Pennsylvania on an iGaming license granted by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Enjoy a safe, secure, and fair online casino gaming experience at Borgata Online.
The online casino offers 1,000+ multi-vendor online slots, jackpot games, and table & card games and exciting loyalty rewards. Start playing with a $20 no-deposit bonus.
Bonuses & Promotions
Borgata Casino welcomes new PA players with a casino bonus of 100% up to $1,000 on their first deposits. Plus, you can claim a no deposit bonus of $20 on signup.
When we were reviewing Borgata Casino, casino bonuses and promotions were limited for online casino players. Apart from the welcome bonus, the online casino was offering a roulette promotion, which instructed players to wager $40 on Black and Yellow Roulette to get 40 bonus spins on Starburst.
Games & Software
Play 1,000+ online casino games, including 38 jackpot games, online slots, nine live dealer games, and 69 table games at Borgata Casino. The online casino has partnered with well-known vendors like IGT, Red Tiger, and others to offer an impressive gaming library.
The top ten games at Borgata Online Casino PA include the exclusive MGM Grand Millions with a jackpot exceeding $500,000, Lightning Blaze, Mask of Amun, and 10,000 Wonders.
Banking Options
Borgata Online Casino allows you to deposit money directly from your bank account. You can also use credit and debit cards.
The list of banking methods includes VIP Preferred eCheck, Play+, Visa & MasterCard, PayNearMe, online banking, PayPal, Apple Pay, Discover, and Online Banking.
Make quick withdrawals using VIP Preferred, Check by Mail, Borgata, and Online Banking.
Customer Support
Click on the Help & Contact link in the main menu at the bottom of the website if you need help at the online casino. The online casino has an exhaustive FAQ with detailed answers to beginner questions.
Contact the 24/7 customer support service if you cannot find answers to your questions. You can use the live chat facility or email [email protected].
Play Now at Borgata for Real Money
Highlights
$10 sign-up bonus on the house
Dedicated Android and iOS apps
Online sportsbook and casino
Earn up to $500 in refer-a-friend bonuses
25% Thursday reload bonus
Weekly rewards and casino bonuses
30 multi-vendor jackpot games
Introduction
Unibet Pennsylvania is authorized to offer an online sportsbook, casino, and live dealer games by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Since Unibet has always been mobile-first, you can play online casino games from any location. Download dedicated apps for iOS and Android to play on mobile devices.
Enjoy multi-vendor games, generous casino bonuses and rewards, and responsive customer support at Unibet Casino. Start with a $10 no deposit bonus.
Bonuses & Promotions
New PA online casino players get a $10 deposit on the house. After using this bonus, they can make a deposit and receive a match bonus of up to $500.
Refer your friends to the online casino and claim a bonus of $50 for every depositing player you refer. You can claim up to $500 in refer-a-friend bonuses.
Existing online casino players can enjoy weekly bonuses and rewards and a reload bonus of 25% on their Thursday deposits.
Games & Software
Play 200+ online casino games from noted vendors like Konami, Bally Entertainment, and NetEnt. The library has games in categories like online slots, online blackjack, table games, jackpot, and video poker.
The online casino has 30 jackpot games, some of which have jackpots in six digits. For example, the jackpot of the exclusive Eagles Online Slot exceeded $158,447 when we were reviewing the site.
Banking Options
Banking options are few at Borgata Online Casino compared to other PA online casinos. You can deposit and withdraw with five methods—Visa & MasterCard, PayPal, VIP Preferred ACH/eCheck, Play+, and PayNearMe.
The online casino takes 72 hours to review withdrawal requests. You can withdraw a minimum of $10 per transaction or any amount at the cashier’s cage at Mohegan Sun Pocono Wikes-Barre.
Customer Support
Unibet Casino offers customer care through phone, email, and live chat. Visit the Help Center to browse detailed answers to commonly asked questions before contacting customer care.
Customer support through live chat is available daily from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. The online casino responds to calls on the toll-free line 1-855-486-4072 daily from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Email general inquiries to [email protected].
Play Now at Unibet for Real Money
Getting started at BetRivers Pennsylvania is a simple procedure that takes only a few minutes. An optional fast registration procedure is available for holders of Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Rush Rewards accounts or Casino4Fun accounts.
If you do not have these accounts, you need to complete the following steps to sign up at BetRivers Casino:
Step #1: Click the Join now button in the top right-hand corner of the casino website to visit the registration section of the online casino.
Step #2: Use the optional fast registration procedure if you have existing Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Rush Rewards or Casino4Fun accounts.
Step #3: Select the state where you reside and generate your login credentials (username and password).
Step #4: Provide personal details like address, date of birth, and gender in part two of the online registration form.
Step #5: Choose a security question from the dropdown menu and provide an answer.
Step #6: Provide your mobile phone number and the last four digits of your social security number.
Step #7: Check the first box to agree to the casino T&Cs and confirm that you are 21+. Check the second box to enable strong authentication at every login.
Step #8: BetRivers Pennsylvania verifies your identity and logs you into your account. If you provided the wrong information, the online casino gives you six chances to revise your details and complete the verification procedure.
Step #9: After verifying your identity, you can make a deposit, grab the bonus, and start playing for real money at BetRivers Casino.
Our experts consider several criteria before reviewing and rating PA online casino sites. An online casino should meet required industry standards to find a place in our list of recommended online casinos. The following are some of the criteria we check before listing any PA gambling sites.
We research the bonus carefully and test it to confirm that it works as advertised by the online casino. We check the bonus T&Cs for transparency and clarity and reject casinos offering bonuses with unreasonably high wagering requirements and unfair rules.
Our recommended PA casino sites online offer big welcome online casino bonuses that are easy to clear and have high max withdrawal amounts, enabling you to profit from the bonus.
The casino gaming lobby can make or break an online casino. We avoid online casinos if their libraries are too small or they exclude game categories like table & card games and live dealer games.
Our recommended online casinos for PA players offer multi-vendor libraries with hundreds and thousands of online slots, table & card games, instant-win games, video poker games, and live dealer games.
Our experts ensure that online casinos offer payment methods that are safe, secure, and convenient for PA players. Our recommended online casinos offer quick deposits and withdrawals in a safe, secure, and encrypted banking environment. Since they process payouts fast, you needn’t wait long for your winnings.
We always test customer support before recommending any PA gambling sites. So you can rest assured of 24/7 customer care through many methods at any Pennsylvania online casino we suggest.
We recommend online casinos offering exhaustive FAQ sections or help centers. Customer care is generally available through live chat, email, or phone. Some casinos also allow you to interact with fellow players and casino staff on social networking sites.
The PA gambling online casinos we recommend for Pennsylvania players are safe, secure, licensed, and trustworthy. They hold valid iGaming licenses from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. They implement all the required measures to prevent underage gambling, support responsible gambling, and protect players’ data and privacy.
Moreover, they belong to well-known gambling entertainment companies with several years of industry experience.
Let us now explore our top five Pennsylvania online casinos once again. Check out the following overviews of online casinos and their features, including games, casino bonuses, promotions, loyalty rewards, and customer support. These reviews will help you make a final decision about your choice.
Play 569 multi-vendor online casino games, including 39 jackpot games, in your browser or via dedicated iOS and Android apps at BetRivers Casino. One of the best PA-licensed online casinos, BetRivers offers exclusive RushRace slot tournaments to spice up your slot gaming experience.
BetRivers is an online sports betting site and casino belonging to Rivers IP Holdings. Start playing with a first deposit match bonus of 100% up to $250. As an existing player, you can enjoy loyalty rewards, participate in Slingo draws with daily top prizes of $1,000, and earn double loyalty points during happy hours.
Get customer care 24/7 through live chat, phone, and email.
BetMGM is an online casino, sports betting site, and poker room operated by BetMGM LLC. Start playing with a $25 signup bonus on the house. Once you settle down and make your first deposit, claim up to $1,000 on your first deposit amount.
Play 1,000+ online casino games from well-known software vendors like Konami, Scientific Games, NetEnt, and others. The library includes 34 jackpot games and 100+ table & card games. There is also a lot of exclusive gaming content in the library.
Contact customer care 24/7 through email or phone.
FanDuel is one of the top online gambling brands in the US, offering licensed fantasy sports, online sports betting, casino gaming, and horse betting services to PA players.
The online casino welcomes players with a unique cashback bonus of up to $1,000 on the losses they incur while playing real money games during their first 24 hours after signup.
FanDuel Casino offers daily casino bonuses of up to $2,000, a $100 refer-a-friend bonus, and monthly rewards of up to $65,000. Moreover, all the bonuses have a playthrough requirement of only 1x.
Enjoy 500+ games, including 62 jackpot games, from multiple vendors in your browser or via dedicated iOS and Android apps. The online casino guarantees a jackpot win daily.
Enjoy online sports betting, bingo, poker, and live dealer games from multiple software providers in a safe, secure, and licensed online gambling environment. This casino welcomes you with a casino bonus of $20 on the house. After using this bonus, you can claim a first deposit bonus of 100% up to $1,000.
The library has 1,000+ games, including 38 jackpot games, 69 table games, and nine live dealer games from well-known software vendors like Red Tiger and IGT. Some big jackpots are waiting to be won at Borgata Online. For example, the jackpot of the exclusive MGM Grand Millions slot exceeded $500,000 when we were reviewing the site.
Get 24/7 customer care services via email or live chat.
Play 200+ multi-vendor online casino games, including 30 jackpot games, in your browser or via dedicated Android or iOS apps at Unibet Casino. This PA online casino also offers online sports betting services and live dealer games under a PA license.
Start playing with a $10 casino bonus on the house, and after consuming this bonus, enjoy a match bonus of up to $500. Refer friends to the online casino and get a bonus of $50 for every friend who signs up and makes a deposit. The online casino offers weekly rewards and bonuses and a Thursday reload bonus of 25%.
Get customer care through toll-free phone lines and live chat daily from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Related: Best Pennsylvania Online Casinos
Pennsylvania legalized all forms of online gambling, including online casinos, poker, and sports betting, on October 30, 2017. It was the fourth US state, after New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada, to legalize online gambling. Online casinos licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) began going live in July 2019.
The legal age to gamble in Pennsylvania is 21. Online casinos use a combination of identity monitoring and confirmation software to instantly verify age, identity, location, and other information about newly registered players.
You can start playing after successful identity verification. If you entered the wrong information, licensed PA online casinos let you correct the details and verify your account.
All kinds of online casino games are available at licensed PA online casinos. The gaming libraries of PA online casinos have progressive jackpot online slots in addition to other online casino games.
So, you can hit a six or seven-figure jackpot if you get lucky while playing a progressive game in Pennsylvania.
Live dealer games are just as legal as other online casino games in Pennsylvania. All the online casinos in our top five list offer live dealer games, including live dealer online blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and poker games. Interact with live dealers and other players as you play live dealer games and win prizes.
While you do not need to be a resident of Pennsylvania to play at a Pennsylvania online casino, you need to be physically present within the state. In other words, non-residents of Pennsylvania can play at an online casino licensed in Pennsylvania when they are on a visit.
Online casino winnings are subject to a federal withholding tax of 24%, which PA online casinos automatically deduct from winnings exceeding $1,200 for bingo or online slots, $1,500 for keno, and $1,500 for poker tournaments. Also, PA charges a flat tax rate of 3.07% on all income, including casino winnings.
If your casino winnings exceed the threshold, you will receive a W-2G form from the online casino. Alternatively, you may report casino winnings on Form 1040 as other income.
Even if you aren’t a PA resident, your winnings remain subject to PA income tax laws unless you win a non-cash prize from the PA lottery.
The procedure of making a deposit at a PA online casino is similar to that of depositing at any other licensed casino.
Log in to your gaming account, visit the cashier, and choose a payment method. Provide the required details, including the deposit amount, and confirm them. Finally, click on deposit to instantly receive the money in your account.
The transfer methods vary from casino to casino, and so do banking policies. For example, BetRivers Casino allows you to withdraw through the BetRivers/SugarHouse Play+ Card, Trustly Online Banking, PayPal, ACH, Check by Mail, and Cash @ Casino Cage.
The qualified customer support agents at our top five online casinos in Pennsylvania will help you with withdrawal-related issues.
All forms of online gambling, including online poker, online sports betting, online casino games, online lottery, and daily fantasy sports, are legal in Pennsylvania.
Our top five online casinos offer online sports betting services along with online casino games. So, you can bet on sports while playing your favorite online slots.
Online casino gaming became legal in Pennsylvania after Governor Tom Wolf signed House Bill 271 into law on 30 October 2017. Today, Pennsylvania residents and visitors can enjoy the benefits of legalized online casino gaming.
Operators lost no time in launching their products in Pennsylvania. You can now enjoy premium games from well-known vendors like Konami, Scientific Games, Red Tiger, NetEnt, Microgaming, and others in your browser and via dedicated apps.
Each PA-licensed online casino is unique, and we have reviewed the top five casinos to help you choose wisely. Our experts consider BetRivers as the best overall online casino in Pennsylvania, but BetMGM, Borgata, FanDuel, and Unibet Casino are also excellent online casinos.
Sign up at the online casino of your choice and grab your welcome bonus. Some online casinos also offer you signup bonuses on the house. You only have to be physically located in Pennsylvania to play real money games legally. Enjoy yourself and play responsibly.
See also: Best Michigan Online Casino Apps For Real Money
Disclaimer
Gambling is a high-risk activity, and you must understand that the house always wins in the long run. Play within your bankroll limits and always with money you can afford to lose. The legal age to gamble in Pennsylvania is 21 years.
If gambling stops being fun and you feel that you may have developed a gambling problem, reach out for help immediately and contact the online casino’s customer care.
We earn a commission whenever you use our links to sign up at any of our recommended best online casinos. However, this has no impact on the reviews and ratings of the online casinos we recommend.
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The San Diego home remodeling company works on full homes, kitchens, bathrooms, home additions, ADUs, garages, landscapes, and hardscapes.
Most homeowners want two things before they commit to a remodel: a realistic sense of cost and a clear picture of what the finished space will look like. Milan Design + Build helps deliver both through its online remodeling estimator and personalized design consultations, supported by a showroom experience and 3D renderings.
“The online estimate gives homeowners a starting number in about a minute, and the showroom and 3D renderings let them see materials and layouts before anything is built,” says David Noriani, CEO of Milan Design + Build. “Keeping design, permits, and construction with one team helps us manage expectations and keep everyone working toward the same vision.”

Modern design is a particular focus for Milan, with an emphasis on clean lines, natural light, functional layouts, and carefully selected materials. The team adapts each design to the homeowner’s lifestyle and the character of the property. Milan Design + Build combines thoughtful design with construction expertise, creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.
The online estimator covers kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, full-home remodels, and ADU construction. At Milan’s showroom on Carroll Road, visitors can review real materials, finishes, and design options, meet the design-build team, and discuss project scope, budget, and timing. Consultations can also be held virtually for homeowners who prefer to start remotely.
At Milan Design + Build, one integrated team works on the entire project. Design and construction aren’t divided between separate firms. The process begins with a consultation and feasibility review, followed by design, space planning, and 3D renderings developed from detailed measurements and digital scans. The team also coordinates architectural plans, structural engineering, city approvals, and material selection, with construction overseen by a dedicated project manager.
Homeowners can explore their remodeling options, get an initial estimate, or request a design consultation at MilanBuild.com.

The Campaign for La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) will fuel scientific innovation and medical advances
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is going public with a bold bet: a $55 million campaign to propel medical research into a new era. The Campaign for LJI will fuel discovery, empower scientific innovation, and expand the impact of immunology on human health.
The Institute quietly kicked things off in 2023, guided by its Board, campaign volunteers, and early believers. Nearly 80% of the $55 million goal is already in hand. Now LJI is opening the doors and inviting the whole community to carry their visions across the finish line and back discoveries that change how LJI researchers understand, treat, and prevent disease.
And there’s a bonus. To mark the public launch, LJI Board member and Campaign Honorary Chair Anthony R. Carr is offering a special matching gift so new donors can double their impact. Full details are here.
Immunology has already rewritten human history. Advances in immune science helped wipe out smallpox, pushed polio to the brink of elimination, and revolutionized how we prevent and treat infectious disease. Today, immune-based therapies are opening doors for patients with cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other serious illnesses once considered untreatable.
For nearly four decades, LJI scientists have stood on the front lines, driven by one insight: the immune system shapes disease in virtually every organ in the body. By decoding how the immune system works and how to harness it to prevent and treat disease, LJI researchers are chasing the Institute’s ultimate mission: Life Without Disease®.
To make that mission real, the Institute pairs world-class scientists with cutting-edge technology, speeding up breakthroughs and turning discoveries into transformative new therapies that ease suffering worldwide.
The Campaign for LJI supercharges that momentum, uniting the vision of the Institute’s scientists with a community that believes in research. Focused on advancing LJI’s most promising areas of study, the campaign aims to help build a future free from the burden of disease, a goal that demands bold ideas, lasting partnerships, and generous philanthropic support.
The Campaign for LJI will advance research across three critical pillars:
1. President’s Priority Fund. Flexible, unrestricted dollars let big ideas move now, not later. Scientists can launch high-risk, high-reward projects, bring experts together across disciplines, build transformative technologies, and train tomorrow’s scientific leaders.
2. Center for Sex-Based Differences in the Immune System. Male and female immune systems don’t respond the same way, and LJI researchers are tracing the fundamental differences down to individual cells and molecular pathways. The Campaign will speed up this pioneering work, revealing hidden drivers of disease and paving the way for more precise, biologically informed therapies for autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, cancer, and beyond.
3. Center for Vaccine Innovation. Immunologists, bioengineers, and vaccine experts are teaming up to design the next generation of vaccines and immune-based therapies. With donor support, LJI scientists can engineer longer-lasting and more personalized vaccines, pinpoint the cellular mechanisms driving protective immunity, and refine delivery methods to prevent autoimmune disease and treat cancer.
As the campaign enters its public phase, LJI welcomes new partners and supporters to join this landmark initiative. Community support is essential to accelerating scientific discovery, and there are many meaningful ways to help shape the future of immunology. Donors may direct their gifts to any campaign priority or other area of interest. As a comprehensive campaign, all gifts to LJI count toward the campaign goal, regardless of designation. Join the campaign, and multiply your impact with our limited-time matching opportunity.
To explore the campaign, visit imagine.lji.org.
Scripps orthopedic surgeons are investigating stem cells as an alternative to joint replacement
Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic recently received a $12.7 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to investigate whether they can transform stem cells into tissue that can repair some types of knee injuries. Currently, if a patient has lost most, if not all, of the cartilage in their knee, then their doctor will recommend a total joint replacement. Joint replacement is safe and effective, but patients who’ve only lost part of their cartilage often don’t qualify. A stem cell-based treatment would provide these patients an option that doesn’t involve donor tissue. Click here for more on the preclinical trial process.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Artwork throughout the Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas promotes hope and healing
The recently opened Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas is a state-of-the-art addition to the hospital staffed by dedicated team members who’ve helped make Scripps one of the nation’s leading healthcare systems. Complementary to that medical excellence, the Lusardi Tower also represents the latest expansion of the Scripps Arts for Healing Program. The philanthropic initiative strategically places nature- and community-based artwork throughout the hospital to support health and well-being. Both Scripps Encinitas and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla have healing arts programs as part of new building projects and growth on the campuses. Click here to read more about the Healing Arts Program and how residents from a nearby retirement community showed their support.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
From century-old Craftsman homes to vegan fantasy bars, dive bars, and a tiki room built for exactly two people, this is one of San Diego’s great little neighborhoods
You may not realize it, but Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park (in fact, 1.5 times larger). Pressed right up against its southeastern edge is a little architecture farm built on old trolley bones, where houses look like someone was collecting architectural styles and local businesses are still run by people who seem personally invested in keeping this place interesting.
This is South Park.
To understand why it feels the way it does today—less like one commercial strip and more like a handful of tiny villages—you have to go back to the trolley.
The land that became the original South Park Addition (the subdivision’s original name) was surveyed in 1870 and officially filed in 1890, but the neighborhood really started becoming a neighborhood in the early 1900s. The Bartlett Estate Company began developing and marketing the tract in earnest around 1906, pairing lots and new homes with something extremely useful if you lived outside Downtown in the horse-and-buggy era: an electric streetcar.
On May 1, 1906, the South Park and East Side Railway made its first trip. Developers didn’t just build near transportation; they helped pay for the transportation, then used it to sell the dream. Downtown had industry, noise, and congestion. Out here were palms, sidewalks, utilities, room to breathe and a four-cent ride back to the city.
It worked. Homes began filling in around the streetcar route, and little commercial clusters grew around the places where people got on and off. That transportation pattern is still written into South Park’s geography. Some of the neighborhood’s odd street geometry is also due in part to the trolley—the old line cut across parcels instead of politely obeying the grid, leaving behind pieces of land that later businesses learned to build around. Places like Station Tavern sit on the former easement and station site of San Diego’s No. 2 trolley line.
Then San Diego went big for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in neighboring Balboa Park. The exposition transformed much of the park and helped push the city through another burst of building and growth. South Park was right there to absorb some of that momentum.
And the people building houses here had taste.
Walk the residential streets now and it can feel like somebody planted an architectural sample garden: Craftsman, Prairie, Mission Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival. Creedence Clearwater Revival. All the revivals. The neighborhood includes work by Irving Gill, one of the defining architects of early modern California; Gill-designed Prairie homes still stand along Granada Avenue.
The city formally designated the South Park Historic District in 2017, recognizing roughly 400 properties and a period of significance stretching from 1906 through 1949. In other words, a lot of what makes the place feel old is actually old.
While the trolley eventually disappeared, the basic idea behind it didn’t. South Park is still a neighborhood organized around little pockets of human activity: a couple blocks where you can buy a record, drink a beer, find a 60-year-old lamp, eat a vegan burger beneath gothic beasts, browse a bookstore, and walk home past a century-old Craftsman.
The 30th-and-Fern area may be the clearest example. Several surviving buildings there date to South Park’s early development, including the old Fire Station No. 9, Rose Grocery building, and Burlingame Garage. What began as infrastructure for a young streetcar suburb became the neighborhood’s commercial heart.
That history is also partly why buying a house here can be competitive. There isn’t some endless supply of vacant land waiting around the corner for another subdivision. Much of the neighborhood filled in generations ago, and the architecture itself is part of the appeal.
San Diego Mag’s been documenting the city for 78 years. And we’ve been looking for a partner who loved the city enough to help us tell its stories. Redfin is that partner. They’re helping us tell the story of some of the city’s most unique neighborhoods. They launched Redfin Early Access this year to get their people in first and to see certain coming-soon and exclusive listings on Redfin before they appear on other major real-estate sites.
First up: South Park.
Here are some of the people and places worth knowing here:

Start with Judy “the Beauty” Forman, because it’s difficult to explain South Park without her. The former social worker bought Big Kitchen in 1980 and turned a neighborhood breakfast joint into a gathering place for artists, musicians, activists, politicians, eccentrics, and pretty much anyone who needed somewhere to belong. As Judy puts it, “I built this for people who others passed over.”
One of those people was a young single mom named Whoopi Goldberg, who worked as a dishwasher here before the Whoopi Goldberg part of her career happened. Today Big Kitchen still serves breakfast and lunch Thursday through Monday.
3003 Grape Street
Whistle Stop reopened in 2001, right as South Park’s little independent-business ecosystem was finding a new generation. Owner Sam Chammas—also connected to Live Wire and, later, Station Tavern—helped turn it into the kind of neighborhood bar where the calendar can jump from a DJ night to live bands to some strange communal event nobody at a normal sports bar would propose.
The room still has that laid-back, slightly sweaty house-party quality. Check what’s happening before you go, because Whistle Stop changes personality depending on the night: sometimes neighborhood beer, sometimes everyone dancing beneath the disco ball like work tomorrow was canceled.
2236 Fern Street
Station Tavern may be the most literal example of old South Park becoming new South Park. It opened in 2009 on land once crossed diagonally by the No. 2 trolley line, and architect Lloyd Russell incorporated that history into the design rather than pretending the weirdly shaped lot wasn’t weirdly shaped. The project won the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s Grand Orchid Award the same year it opened.
Sam Chammas built the place as an open-air burger-and-beer spot with big communal tables, a backyard, room for kids, and room for dogs. It still works exactly that way: get a burger, get the tots, let everybody spread out, stay awhile.
2204 Fern Street
Kindred arrived in late 2015 looking nothing like the beige-and-leafy vegan restaurant stereotype. The place went full gothic fever dream—heavy music, wild cocktails, decadent plant-based food—and eventually collected national vegan accolades plus local Restaurant of the Year and design honors.
And in 2026, it got even weirder. Hidden behind a chain-mail passage inside Kindred is Throne Room, a medieval-fantasy cocktail chamber whose mythology grew out of a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired map the Kindred team created for a 2017 Coachella pop-up. The 90-minute experience has scroll menus, plant-based mezze, cocktails and zero interest in pretending restaurants need to behave normally.
1503 30th Street

Vinyl Junkies has good music-scene DNA. Founder Eric Howarth previously ran indie label Hi-Speed Soul, whose roster included acts like Nada Surf and Swervedriver, then teamed with Casbah owner Tim Mays after the pair had spent years putting on Vinyl Junkies record swaps.
They opened the South Park brick-and-mortar shop in 2017, and it remains a buy-sell-trade temple for people who understand that owning music on a physical object is irrational in exactly the right way. Go flip through the new arrivals. Leave holding something you had absolutely no intention of buying.
2235 Fern Street
Bad Madge is what happens when “vintage store” doesn’t quite explain the situation. Owner Tanya McAnear and her team fill the shop with furniture, clothing, barware, records, art, jewelry, collectibles, and various objects that seem like they may know things about their previous owners. The shop opened in 2011 and has made reuse and upcycling part of its identity ever since. Go in without looking for anything specific—specificity will only slow you down.
2205 Fern Street
Across the neighborhood’s vintage-and-vinyl universe sits Thread + Seed, a local boutique built around clothing, denim, gifts, and personal styling. Its South Park shop has an especially deep denim program—petite, tall, wide-leg, straight, flare—and the store also offers one-on-one styling built around color and body type. In other words, this is where you go after deciding the jeans currently on your body have betrayed you. South Park understands that sometimes personal renewal begins with pants.
2220 Fern Street
Seth Marko started The Book Catapult as a book blog in 2006. In 2017, he and his wife, Jennifer Powell, turned it into an actual bookstore in South Park, specializing loosely in fiction, local interest, and children’s books while maintaining the more important bookseller skill: putting something into your hands that you didn’t know you needed.
There are staff picks, author events, signed books, and the dangerous possibility of walking in for one title and emerging with four. Because no one ever died thinking, “I shoulda read less.”
3010-B Juniper Street
Chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and craft mixers - meet our 2026 Tastemakers, the minds behind the magic.
Chef Roberto Alcocer showcases all that Mexican cuisine and culture has to offer at Oceanside’s Valle. The Michelin-guide recommended restaurant takes inspiration and techniques from all over Mexico—with a heavy Baja influence—and blends them with local San Diego ingredients to create original and delectable contemporary Mexican cuisine. The seasonal tasting menu allows Chef Alcocer to experiment with the freshest available ingredients, creating dishes that defy guests’ expectations, while the wine list features more than 100 labels from Mexican artisans. Even the restaurant’s walls are a celebration of Mexican culture, all decorated with work from artists of Baja.
“My favorite part of being a chef of Valle is being able to showcase the Mexico that I know to everyone who visits,” Chef Alococer says. “Not only through the food, but with the design, culture, and welcoming service.”
Lobster Taco: Flour sourdough tortilla with lobster shell bisque and local red spiny lobster

222 North Pacific Street, Oceanside, California 92054
866-723-8906 | valleoceanside.com