PokerStars affirms no joint pooling of funds in Pennsylvania for the near future
Pennsylvania has officially joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), marking a significant step towards shared player pools, but not all operators have followed suit just yet.
As of now, Pennsylvania players remain ring-fenced from PokerStars' existing shared liquidity network, which currently only includes Michigan and New Jersey. This means that PokerStars players in Pennsylvania will have to wait for an announced timeline to enjoy the benefits of shared liquidity.
PokerStars, committed to the long-term growth of the game in the US and globally, recognizes and welcomes the importance of shared player pools. However, the company has not extended its shared liquidity to Pennsylvania yet, keeping the state separate for the time being.
Other operators like BetMGM and BetRivers Poker have already incorporated Pennsylvania into their multi-state pools, celebrating the move with big freerolls open to all players. WSOP.com, which became the first operator to combine four states in its player pool, is hosting a four-state online bracelet series this summer, with 30 online bracelets to be contested between May 31 and July 15.
While a potential merger involving FanDuel could be speculated as a strategic reason for PokerStars' decision not to join the Pennsylvania shared liquidity pool immediately, there is no direct evidence linking the two. The exact reasons for PokerStars' current stance remain unclear.
With Pennsylvania's entry into the MSIGA, the combined player pool of the four states (Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Jersey, and Michigan) is not specified, but it is estimated to be around 38 million Americans. The combined player pool of these six states, which will soon include Pennsylvania, is expected to grow further.
In the meantime, PokerStars players in Pennsylvania can look forward to the benefits of shared liquidity in the near future, as the company continues to prioritise its global operations. The expansion of shared liquidity pools across the US is set to bring bigger tournaments, bigger prize pools, and an overall more vibrant poker ecosystem.
PokerStars, despite being committed to the long-term growth of poker and recognizing the importance of shared player pools, hasn't yet extended its shared liquidity to casino-games like poker in Pennsylvania. Other operators, such as BetMGM and BetRivers Poker, have already incorporated Pennsylvania into their multi-state casino-and-gambling pools, offering benefits like larger freerolls to players.
