Michigan enters multi-state online poker agreement

Michigan Online Poker to enter Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement

Michigan poker players could soon be able to play against a larger competitor base soon. The Wolverine State has been accepted into the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), joining online poker in New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware, subject to full execution of the agreement by the state of Michigan.

The MSIGA brings together states who enter the compact to share games among players who live in those states. Delaware and Nevada were the first two to enter it in 2014, New Jersey joining later in 2017.

The addition of Michigan would nearly double the current pool, with the state’s population approximately 10 million. New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware combine for a population of 13.4 million. In December 2020, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the online interstate agreement into law.

Rebecca Satterfield, the association manager, said the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association welcomes Michigan. She added that Michigan residents can now access a “full array of interactive gaming among the Association’s member states.” Satterfield added that the association will continue to be forward-thinking and “welcomes the interest of additional gaming jurisdictions” in joining the agreement. Michigan’s application to MSIGA is only for poker, the same as Nevada.

Poker options available in Michigan

Michigan has numerous online poker options for its players. In March, the world-renowned World Series of Poker launched. WSOP.com joined PokerStars and BetMGM Poker Michigan as operators offering poker in the state. WSOP also operates in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nevada.

Only two other states offer legalized poker

The only other states that currently offer legalized poker are West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Neither of those states is currently in the multi-state compact, but Pennsylvania would be a big addition due to its 12.8 million population.

West Virginia has a much smaller population at 1.8million, and no gaming operator has launched an online poker offering in the state.

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