Interstate online poker could be just days or weeks away
Online poker players in Michigan are very close to compete against players in other states. On Monday, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) announced that executive director Henry Williams has signed the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) to share player pools with Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware.
“I am happy to announce Michigan has joined the multistate poker compact, and much of the increased tax revenue from multistate poker will go to support K-12 education in Michigan,” Williams said in a press release. “By joining, Michigan will almost double the potential pool of participants in multistate poker games.”
Michiganders won’t see the effects of the agreement just yet, as online poker rooms must still meet several conditions in order to launch multistate poker. Said requirements involve getting their software approved, meeting security standards, and the like. Suppliers to current operators, as well as new providers, must also obtain licenses.
“Michigan poker players will enjoy more options and will likely play for bigger money when they can compete against players from other states,” said Senator Sam Hertel, who sponsored the bill that legalized interstate online poker in Michigan. “I am glad we were able to make this possible for Michigan poker players.”
Could finally add another interstate network
There are currently three online poker rooms in Michigan: WSOP.com in partnership with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, BetMGM with MGM Grand Detroit, and PokerStars with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
WSOP.com/888 is the only online poker operator that has multistate play, as it is the only one with a presence in Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, the only states that have shared player liquidity to this point. In Nevada and New Jersey, players compete on WSOP.com, while in Delaware, they are on any of three sites connected to racinos, each of which uses the 888 platform. Because WSOP.com also runs 888 software, players from all three states can play with each other.
But because WSOP.com is only in Nevada and New Jersey, only players in those states can compete for WSOP online bracelets. If things get going within the week, or at least in the next few weeks, online poker players in Michigan may also be able to play in 2022 World Series of Poker online bracelet events.
The other big upshot of Michigan joining MSIGA is that we may finally see more interstate online poker networks come into existence. There are no other sites besides WSOP.com or 888-based poker rooms in Nevada or Delaware, but New Jersey has some that could link up with their counterparts in Michigan.
partypoker New Jersey, which is part of the BetMGM family of sites, is the second-most popular online poker room in the state. PokerStars is in the third spot. Both also have sites in Pennsylvania, but the Keystone State has yet to join MSIGA.