It’s been a few months in the making, but the interstate poker network is finally going to pick up somewhat when New Jersey becomes a part of the expansion. As of May 1, two poker brands coming from Caesars Interactive Entertainment – WSOP.com and 888Poker.com – intend to incorporate prize pools that will also incorporate Delaware and Nevada. This will hopefully make at least some impression on the status of online poker within the United States.
The move will mark the first of its kind in the States, linking all three states together that currently provide online gambling. Pennsylvania will soon become the fourth state to provide such, but for the time being, it is not going to be a part of the poker network.
Caesars Interactive Entertainment has already submitted its software to go through testing in all three of the jurisdictions and is anticipating the final approval from such in due course. Naturally, the goal with this shared prize pool is to increase the online poker liquidity across all three states – something that the poker world has been in desperate need of in the US.
Bill Rini, working as part of the WSOP.com team, said that reaching this stage has been “a huge collaborative effort” between the three states and everyone involved in it. He thanked the leadership as well as the regulatory authorities within the states for being dedicated in helping to move the online poker sector forward.
Poker Rooms Speak Out
The Senior Vice President of 888Poker.com, Yaniv Sherman said the pooling the players from three different states will be somewhat of a significant step in the country, as far as regulations are concerned. It marks an exciting time for players, he said, and if it is all approved, he “anticipates that this will open up further opportunities in other states”.
Meanwhile, the director of Delaware’s Lottery, Vernon Kirk spoke of the interstate poker arrangement offering players what he called an “exciting opportunity” to be able to enhance their experience.
Further to this, Becky Harris – chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board – said that the regulatory body is certainly pleased to have contributed to and be a part of the collaborative effort for this interstate poker project.
The new pact will see customers from Delaware and Nevada need to download new software from the two brands. A new account is also necessary for them to participate in the shared poker prize pool. All New Jersey players with an existing account will not be affected by this though and can continue with their current accounts.
It’s been a long time coming, as gambling regulators from all three states have been seeking out ways to increase the player pool and liquidity for poker. While players from Delaware and Nevada have been able to compete against once another since 2015, liquidity for such still isn’t so vast. However, with the introduction of New Jersey, which joined under an agreement signed last October, things are set to take a small step in a hopefully positive direction.
