After years of rumor, Pennsylvania is likely ready to begin the process to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement for online poker. And while PA online casinos are more focused on traditional casino games and slots, multi-state online poker takes poker to another level for PA players.
Pennsylvania gaming regulators received word from Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) for the commonwealth to begin the process to join the multi-state online poker organization. The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) currently has five members, though only three have live online poker.
A representative from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board PGCB) confirmed Shapiro’s directive, but it’s too early to predict the completion of the launch process.
Multi-State Online Poker Soon Available?
Pennsylvania would be the sixth member of MSIGA, joining the following:
- Nevada
- Delaware
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- West Virginia
Only Michigan, New Jersey, and Nevada have live online poker in their jurisdictions at the moment. MSIGA is an agreement between the approved state to offer interstate poker for its customers. This allows customers to play in shared tables across the states and be involved in larger tournaments, increase the numbers of players, and allow operators to offer larger guaranteed pots and winnings.
Delaware recently ceased its online poker offerings and West Virginia has yet to offer online poker in the state. West Virginia legalized online poker and iGaming in the state in 2019, but no operators have offered poker as of yet.
In Shapiro’s letter to the gaming control board, entrance into MSIGA will help Pennsylvania compete in the gaming sector and continue to build the state’s economy.
“In order to continue to remain competitive in the legalized gambling sector, I am expressing my strong support for Pennsylvania to join the MSIGA alongside Michigan, Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, and West Virginia. Pennsylvania should capitalize on our status as a leader in legalized gambling, and join this compact, which would bring in additional revenue for the commonwealth and allow players more gaming options,” Shapiro wrote.
MSIGA Entrance Will Take Time
Shapiro will eventually have to sign off on entrance into MSIGA, but the journey towards membership will take some time. It took Michigan more than a year to join MSIGA and then another eight months before a poker site offered multi-state poker.
PGCB representative Doug Harbach said negotiations are underway for Pennsylvania to join MSIGA. Regulators will use the pathway other MSIGA states took to “get shared liquidity poker operational as soon as viable.”
“At the same time, every jurisdiction is different, so it is not possible at this early stage to predict the expediency of the complete launch process,” he said.