Shared US iPoker Liquidity Starting May 1st

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Tuesday, April 17th, 2018 | Written by Stephen Smith

Online poker in the USA is set to get a whole lot more enticing starting May 1st, as on that date Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey will finally launch their shared online poker player pools. The news was announced on Monday via the Associated Press, and will initially involve just those brands with operations in multiple states, namely Caesars Interactive Entertainment, WSOP.com and 888Poker.com.

“It is important to thank the elected leadership and regulatory authorities in Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey for their dedication and diligence to help move online poker forward,” explained Bill Rini, head of online poker of WSOP.com. “The United States, for the first time in a regulated environment, will have a large-scale multi-state offering that will propel the industry forward as soon as next month.”

Greater Opportunities

On May 1st, sites across all three regulated states should experience their largest liquidity increase since regulation was introduced back in 2013, and ultimately result in a more attractive playing environment for their players, including providing a greater number of games, bigger prize pools, and giving them the ability to compete for WSOP bracelets from the comfort of their own homes outside of Nevada.

Commenting upon the development, David Rebuck, director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) said that it was the huge collaborative efforts by regulatory authorities in Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey that made the online poker push possible. He also highlighted the exciting opportunity presented by the shared online poker network, stating:

“This will raise jackpots and provide even greater opportunities for play. It also paves the way for additional states to join and grow the regulated, legal online poker market.”

PokerStars Woes

While the interstate pooling agreement presents a golden opportunity for multiple state actors such as WSOP.com and 888Poker.com to expand their operations, the same cannot initially be said for those whose online products are currently restricted to New Jersey. Nevertheless, at least Borgata (Borgata, PartyPoker, Pala, MGM) will have the option to launch operations in Nevada at a later date, whereas PokerStars is likely to be severely disadvantaged as its Bad Actor label in Nevada will effectively bar it from participating in that market.

Nevada/Delaware New Accounts

While the transition should be a seamless one for New Jersey residents, who will be able to continue playing via their existing accounts, Nevada and Delaware players, on the other hand, will have to register for new accounts and download new software in order to play.

The process is bound to create a certain amount of confusion at first, although interstate pooling will be launched several weeks before the World Series of Poker kicks-off, thus giving players ample time to get organized before the prestigious tournament series starts rolling out its online events starting June 3rd. Likewise, the operators themselves will have plenty of time to promote, and advertise their products to lure players to their sites, with this year’s four online poker bracelets up for grabs as follows:

Event #10: $365 No Limit Hold’em (June 3rd)
Event #47: $565 Pot Limit Omaha 6-max (June 22)
Event #61: $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Championship (June 29)
Event #63: $3,200 No Limit Hold’em High Roller (June 30)

Multiple Benefits

The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) will be launched at the best possible time as the World Series of Poker kicks-off on May 29th, in the process bringing an influx of tourists from all across the world to Nevada. In previous years, for instance, cash game liquidity experienced a 20-25% boosts during the competition’s first week, with a further surge noted in July corresponding to the start of the Main Event.

Long after the WSOP draws to a close, however, player pooling will result in ongoing multiple benefits for the individual states, including increased cash game liquidity, bigger tournament guarantees, and the introduction of more poker formats and products for players to enjoy.

The MSIGA will also create a more attractive market for other states to join should they introduce legislation of their own, which will become an even more enticing proposition after Pennsylvania becomes its first recruit sometime later this year. This is because the Keystone State’s addition will immediately double the iPoker network’s liquidity, and ultimately provide an initial boost towards returning the country’s poker industry towards its pre-Black Friday status.