The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) is making progress on joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA). PGCB Communications Director, Doug Harbach, told PlayPennsylvania on Tuesday that the Board has accepted an invitation to enter the compact.
The next steps, according to Harbach, is awaiting paperwork for review and sign-off. Harbach also provided a timeline for an imminent entry:
“Should this phase progress swiftly, we are currently working toward an early second-quarter, 2025 launch.”
Pennsylvania online poker players would be ecstatic about the news. It’ll also be a welcome addition to MSIGA, which already has New Jersey, Michigan, Delaware, Nevada and West Virginia.
PGCB to put finishing touches on MSIGA entry
Pennsylvania had the top poker market in the US before New Jersey and Michigan joined MSIGA. The Keystone State has taken a backseat to those markets because of that.
Should everything go as planned, Pennsylvania is aiming to join the compact in the April timeframe, which is the first month of the second quarter. Either way, the first half of 2025 seems to be likely.
Pennsylvania entering the MSIGA had been one of the state’s top stories of 2024. PlayPennsylvania broke the news back in October, when Gov. Josh Shapiro gave the PGCB permission to start negotiations.
In a letter to the PGCB PlayPennsylvania obtained, Gov. Shapiro wants to remain a competitive gambling state:
“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.”
It should take less than a year for the Keystone State to join MSIGA since it was given the green light by the Governor.
What the poker industry would look like
The poker industry, especially in Pennsylvania, would be much bigger when the Keystone State’s arrival becomes official. Pennsylvania players would be able to play against others from New Jersey, Michigan, Delaware and Nevada (though West Virginia is part of MSIGA, the state does not have any poker apps live as of yet).
That would increase the player pool and prize money for tournaments. It’s also even more impactful for New Jersey and Pennsylvania as neighboring states. Players would be able to play in the same tournaments while traveling back and forth.
The Keystone State currently has five poker platforms, which include:
- PokerStars
- BetMGM Poker
- WSOP Poker
- Borgata Poker
- BetRivers Poker
PokerStars, BetMGM, WSOP and Borgata each pool players in multiple states. BetRivers is the newest platform to launch, which did so back in November.
Those platforms are expected to start pooling players from Pennsylvania once the state officially arrives into MSIGA. That would put the Keystone State back on top in the poker market.
