Pennsylvania’s online poker revenue has continued to decline, with October proving to be one of the worst months for the market. Latest figures from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) show all but one operator saw their revenue fall further, a similar pattern observed in the same period last year. 

With the numbers struggling to recover, joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) could be the only way for the Keystone State to reverse the trend. 

October Among Worst Months for PA Online Poker

Pennsylvania is currently home to four online poker operators, three of which recorded a drop in revenue in October. PokerStars PA continues to dominate the market but only generated $1.4 million during the month, its second-worst month ever. 

Things don’t look good for BetMGM Poker PA either, with the operator recording just $319,000 in revenue¸ its lowest since November 2022. Sister site Borgata also saw its revenue fall month-over-month by 17% to $97,000 in October. 

Only WSOP PA recorded an increase in revenue, generating $487,000 in October, an increase of 5.3% from September. But that still represents a year-on-year fall of nearly 15%. 

PA Should Join MSIGA

If Pennsylvania wants to stop the bleeding and allow its online poker market to flourish, it must consider joining MSIGA. Shared liquidity helps boost revenue. This has been observed in New Jersey when PokerStars merged its NJ players with those in Michigan. 

The decision is now on Gov. Josh Shapiro, but he still seems uninterested in allowing Pennsylvania to join the interstate poker compact.

US online poker could be headed for a major shakeup after West Virginia officially became the fifth member of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) on November 14 which was made possible through the help of New Jersey regulators.

New Developments 

While online poker is already legal in West Virginia, none of the toppokeroperators areactive in the state. That’s about to change as leading online poker sites PokerStars, WSOP, and BetMGM, and up-and-coming Run It Once could launch in the Mountain State.

PokerStars in particular has already expressed interest in joining the West Virginia online poker market after the state joined MSIGA, saying it will “review” its options there. The operator currently runs a two-state network comprised of New Jersey and Michigan. To enter West Virginia, PokerStars will be required to partner with a land-based casino which could either be Wheeling Island or Mardi Gras.

West Virginia’s MSIGA membership is welcome news, but it will still take quite some time before shared liquidity becomes a reality in the state. Any operator keen on including West Virginia to its online poker network must first submit a letter of intent to the West Virginia Lottery Commission (WVLC). Upon receiving regulatory clearance, the operator may then proceed with its shared liquidity plans.

After hosting the massively successful 2023 North American Poker Tour (NAPT) at Resorts World, PokerStars continues to make its presence felt in Las Vegas and the US as a whole via its partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing. Don’t forget that the online poker operator also brought back the “Big Game” to complement the 2023 NAPT. 

NAPT’s Epic Comeback

The NAPT returned after 12 long years with a series held at Resorts World Las Vegas. The nine-day festival ended on a high note, with the events smashing its guarantees, including the Main Event which attracted 1,095 entries, enough to surpass its $1.5 million guarantee. 

While the 2023 NAPT was underway, PokerStars also hosted freeroll satellites as part of The Big Game which also made a comeback after over a decade. From those satellites, two amateur players were selected to receive $50,000 in stake. They will be pitted against poker pros in a series of games that will conclude in 2024. 

PokerStars at Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

PokerStars will also be visible at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, courtesy of its ongoing partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing. The alliance has paved the way for PokerStars’ Red Spade Pass promotion which will allow some poker and racing fans to personally witness the highly-anticipated racing event. 

The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place on 19 Nov.

The Borgata Fall Mini Series kicks off on November 14 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in New Jersey, and there’s good news for online poker players in Pennsylvania – they may qualify for one flagship event online via BetMGM Poker PA and Borgata Poker PA.

Online Satellites for Borgata Fall Mini-Series

Both BetMGM Poker PA and Borgata Poker PA are hosting online satellites for the $2,500 Main Event and the $800 Super Saturday Series. 

At this point, it is too late for players to take a shot at the Main Event satellite which was scheduled for November 12. However, they still have time to enter the Super Saturday qualifier which takes place on November 13, and they can do so via a $10 step satellite. Super Saturday runs on November 18 and offers $200,000 in guarantees.

Players may directly buy into the satellites for $100 the Super Saturday Series. Do note that step satellites are also available, offering a more affordable route.

Borgata Fall Mini-Series Features $1M Guarantee

The Borgata Fall Mini-Series runs until November 18 and features a combined guarantee of $1,000,000. Half of that ($500,000) goes to the Main Event. The five-day festival includes a total of six events, with live satellites also available at the venue.

888poker has revamped its tournament schedule to include a new list of tournaments dedicated to low-stakes players. Named “Micro Rollers”, these tournaments offer more than $150,000 in guaranteed prizes each week, with a special $10,000GTD event running every Sunday. 

Micro Rollers Now Available on 888poker

888poker has added eleven Micro Rollers to its daily MTT schedule, running from 4:00 p.m. GMT to 10:00 p.m. GMT each day. Players can get in for as low as $1, with the highest buy-in set at just $5.50. 

Some tournaments feature four-figure guarantees, including the $5.50 Mystery Bounty which awards $5,000 in guaranteed prize money from Monday through Saturday, with the tournament offering an increased guarantee of $7,500 every Sunday. 

Micro Rollers Main Event

Of the new additions, the Micro Rollers Main Event will definitely attract the most attention as the tournament features a cool $10,000 guarantee for a buy-in of only $3.50. Players can join in on the action via multiple flights running Monday – Sunday. Day 2 is scheduled at 8.00 p.m. on Sunday. 

888poker is also giving away $10,000 worth of freerolls every week, some of them awarding hundreds of seats to many of the new Micro Rollers tournaments.