Poker Sites In Pa
- Pennsylvania passed a broad gambling expansion bill in 2017 that among its many provisions authorized online casinos, online sportsbooks, and real money online poker sites. Given the heavy lift of licensing and regulation, it took nearly two years for the first PA online poker sites to appear.
- The long-awaited launch of online poker in Pennsylvania made headlines on Monday. However, it might be New Jersey poker players who are celebrating the most. PlayPennsylvania broke the news that PokerStars would soft-launch its global poker site in PA on Nov.
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The long-awaited launch of online poker in Pennsylvania made headlines on Monday. However, it might be New Jersey poker players who are celebrating the most.
PokerStars is one the most recognizable poker sites in the world. In New Jersey, the poker room partnered with Resorts and launched as PokerStars New Jersey. When PokerStars launched in Pennsylvania, they went live with poker and casino. Online sports betting has been legalized and in went live in September 2019. Top 6 Pennsylvania Poker Sites in 2021. At least seven providers have conditional approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to offer online poker in the state. From the seven, here is our list of the top six poker sites that will intrigue you.
PlayPennsylvania broke the news that PokerStars would soft-launch its global poker site in PA on Nov. 4. That launch happened as planned.
Rebecca McAdam Willetts, a spokeswoman for PokerStars, told USPoker last week:
“We are very excited to be bringing our most popular brands to Pennsylvania next week, subject to regulatory approval.”
Obviously, the successful completion of the testing phase is required before PokerStars receives the green light. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Pennsylvania poker players aren’t the only ones interested in this development.
The fledgling NJ online poker market has been waiting for more than three years for this news. The hope is PA online poker will eventually join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA).
The MSIGA combines player pools between states. Currently, only three states are part of the agreement:
- New Jersey
- Nevada
- Delaware
Let’s be honest; while we’re excited for our neighbors to be able to play online poker at home, the reality is New Jersey needs PA poker players to help grow its struggling industry.
Will PA and NJ online poker markets pool players?
It is a possibility that PA and NJ online poker players will one day take a seat in the same virtual poker room. That day is likely far from reality, though.
Doug Harbach, director of communications for the PA Gaming Control Board (PGCB), spoke to Online Poker Report in August 2018 about the possibility of PA joining the MSIGA.
“While an interstate compact could certainly occur, at this junction I can’t predict or comment on the likelihood.”
It is fair to say that PA has not been the speediest when it comes to movement in the online gambling world. The Gambling Expansion Act became law in the Keystone State in October 2017.
Even so, it was December 2018 before the state accepted its first sports bet. Then, it was another five months before online sports betting launched. Once sports betting was online, online casino gambling in PA joined the party one month later.
As it stands, it took more than two years for the first online poker room to go into a testing phase. That doesn’t bode well for a speedy entry into the MSIGA.
What NJ online poker wants and needs PA
Over the last six years, real money online poker in New Jersey has been treading water. PA was the state closest to a potential online poker launch.
As such, NJ has been waiting patiently for poker in PA to come online and join the compact to boost the player pool.
It doesn’t take a genius to understand that more players in the pool are a good thing. More players mean larger prize pools and larger prize pools mean more players.
New Jersey did combine player pools with Delaware and Nevada in the spring of 2018. Unfortunately, New Jersey didn’t benefit as much as some hoped, mainly because the population of the two states is only around half of NJ.
PA’s population, on the other hand, is nearly 50% bigger. If PA joins the compact, the player pool in NJ could more than double practically overnight.
It’s no secret; online poker rooms are not the segment of the NJ online casino games that are bringing home the bacon.
Looking back at yearly revenue further, it shows a clear declining trend.
While 2019 isn’t over it, it doesn’t appear the trend will change. Over the last 12 months, online poker in NJ has seen a decline in revenue of 4.74%.
A combined player pool could be the catalyst to change the course finally.
Lessons PA could learn from six years of NJ online poker
Over the last six years of NJ online poker, only one year (2016) resulted in a year-over-year increase.
As mentioned throughout this article, what we’ve learned from watching online poker over the last few years is that poker thrives when the pool of poker players grows.
It’s evident when online poker rooms run big online tournament series with big guarantees. NJ online poker revenue usually gets a bump from tournaments such as:
- Fall Online Championships on WSOP.com
- NJCOOP on PokerStars NJ
During these big tournaments, poker players in the region, including PA, travel to New Jersey to play online. Cash games are usually better and tournaments often smash the guarantees.
For a few short weeks, it seems as if online poker is finally gaining momentum. Then the tournament ends, and it is more of the same lackluster and uninspiring results.
There was a period on the 2018 calendar when one big tournament came after another. The numbers reflected what might be the result of player fatigue.
What makes a big tournament series great is its uniqueness. The World Series of Poker, which is held every summer in Nevada, is a perfect example.
When another tournament is scheduled for the following week, the fear of missing out is lost, and it soon becomes just another game. From a business perspective, it is not a sustainable model.
What PA could learn from NJ is:
- Build a viable player pool and invest in growing it.
- Create a calendar of events that complements competing poker rooms.
- Join the MSIGA.
Why NJ players should hold off celebrating PA’s online poker news
Most NJ poker players have focused their attention on Pennsylvania joining the MSIGA. The potential for new players is huge.
If, however, PA doesn’t join the MSIGA right away, the NJ poker pool might suffer.
While there isn’t any concrete data, players from PA are thought to be driving across the border to play online poker in NJ. Certainly, this is true during big tournament weekends.
Some of the traffic may diminish as PokerStars PA and other online poker rooms offer games and tournaments closer to home.
Currently, PokerStars NJ offers NJCOOP during the middle of October. It is fair to say that it is one of the biggest online tournaments in the Garden State.
More than likely, PokerStars PA will eventually offer a PACOOP. If it does, it would be good business to do so before or after New Jersey’s event. That way, both states could benefit from cross-border traffic.
There is no doubt that PokerStars launching in Pennsylvania is great news for online poker. But it becomes better news when it joins the MSIGA.
Until then, we’ll be watching to see how online poker in PA impacts the NJ online poker market.
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Partypoker Pa Launch Date
It’s happening.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and PokerStars both confirmed to different sources this week that the latter will be launching its online poker and casino games products for players in Pennsylvania next week. The testing phase will begin on Monday, November 4.
PokerStars’ land-based casino partner in Pennsylvania is Mount Airy Casino.
The testing phase does not necessarily indicate that a launch date is imminent or when it will happen.
However, PokerStars did this in New Jersey and has experience in various markets around the world, launching under a variety of circumstances, restrictions, and regulatory environments. Suffice it to say that PokerStars won’t likely require a long testing period or encounter many bugs.
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Pennsylvania online poker players could be able to log in and play real-money poker very soon.
PGCB Confirmed
The first encouraging piece of news this week came from Play Pennsylvania.
During the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) meeting on Wednesday, PGCB Communications Director Doug Harbach said, “We have staff prepared to initiate and oversee a test launch this Monday (November 4) of another online casino gaming site, this one licensed under Mount Airy Casino and their suite of casino-type games. At this juncture, it would include the testing of a poker game.”
Out of pure caution, Harbach issued a stipulation: “The caveat is always that if issues come up, then the beginning of the testing could slide.”
BREAKING/EXCLUSIVE: If all goes according to plan, PokerStars soft launches online poker in Pennsylvania on Monday, PA regulators confirm to PlayPA. Story by @kkohler1129 –> https://t.co/iBpHxeuZvb
— PlayPennsylvania (@PlayPANews) October 30, 2019
PokerStars Confirmed
Since Pokerfuse always has an inside source at PokerStars, it made sense that Pokerfuse obtained confirmation about the Pennsylvania launch.
A PokerStars spokesperson said, “We are very excited to be bringing our most popular brands to Pennsylvania in the next week, subject to regulatory approval. Stay tuned for more details!”
Launch Speculations
As mentioned, PokerStars has launched in numerous markets around the world, but gives information that should indicate how the Pennsylvania action will move along.
On Wednesday, March 16, 2016, PokerStars began its soft launch in New Jersey, the testing period for the site and regulator – along with the help of some players – to ensure everything worked properly. Up to 500 players could log on and play, understanding that there might be bugs and glitches to be worked out.
Problems were detected and fixed. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement then approved PokerStars New Jersey for full operation.
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And on Monday, March 21, 2016, the site launched for real-money poker to any players located within the borders of New Jersey. It was PokerStars first entry back into the United States after Black Friday in 2011, and it marked a historic day for US online poker.
The Pennsylvania process is likely to similarly take several days in soft launch mode to eradicate bugs and allow the PGCB to conduct all pertinent tests.
It is highly unlikely that the process will take more than a week.
Pokerfuse speculates that low-stakes games – cash games, SNGs, and tournaments – will be available during the test period. As bugs are fixed and games are approved, more will be added until the PGCB is satisfied and tests all necessary games.
Just some of the Qs we answer in the latest PA article.
How Long Will The Testing Period Last?
What Games Will Be Available During The Soft-launch?
Are Online Casino Games Also Legal in PA?
Which Other Online Poker Rooms Are Expected To Launch In PA?https://t.co/7vxj5PUXqR
— pokerfuse (@pokerfuse) October 31, 2019
Cautious Players
Poker fans in Pennsylvania have endured their share of heartache along the way to this legalized poker market. It’s only fair that many of them are waiting to see it before they believe it.
Exactly two years ago on October 30, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed the gambling expansion bill that included legalized online poker and casino games. That came after years of wrangling bills and proposals through offices and committees and both houses of the legislature.
Within a year, the PGCB opened the licensing application process. PokerStars announced its partnership with Mount Airy in August 2018, and the application was approved three months later.
It wasn’t until April 2019 that a launch date was provided for Pennsylvania’s online poker and casino sites. The PGCB said a coordinated launch would take place on July 15.
As it turned out, only a few online casino sites launched on that date, but poker sites were left out in the cold with no more information provided. Even in September of this year, there were hints that PokerStars was preparing for its launch, but no confirmation was available. Even as Pokerfuse began to find evidence of PokerStars site-building in Pennsylvania, there were no answers.
Even as the latest information this week seems rock-solid, it is understandable that many players are still cautious with their excitement. After two years of waiting, they reserve and deserve the right to see it to believe it.