Pa Online Poker Launch Date

On Wednesday, Pennsylvania gaming regulators said at a hearing in Harrisburg that the state’s online casino gaming will kick off in 90 days, setting the stage for a July 15, 2019 launch. State lawmakers legalized online gambling in 2017, but the implementation has taken quite some time. 8 online card sites plan to launch in Pennsylvania in all. If all eight operators follow through, Pennsylvania will become the largest online poker state in the country. Though New Jersey’s online gambling niche generated $298 million last year, Pennsylvania’s populated is 50% larger than New Jersey’s.

On Monday, the long-awaited launch of online / mobile casino gambling finally arrived for players in Pennsylvania. But as the July 15 date designated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) back in April came and went, it became clear that Pennsylvania online poker would be late to the party.

Pennsylvania Online Poker Late To Party

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and Parx Casino went live with their respective HollywoodCasino.com and ParxOnline.com sites as scheduled Monday afternoon. And while both operators are also licensed to offer online / mobile poker tournaments and cash games, neither site launched with poker capability at the onset.

In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette timed to coincide with Monday’s launch, PGCB spokesman Doug Harbach told the newspaper that his agency was excited to finally integrate online / mobile casino games within Pennsylvania’s regulated iGaming industry:

“I think most people believe moving these games online is certainly something that fits very well into a younger demographic, who does so much of their business and hobbies online.”

Poker Players in PA Still Waiting for Online / Mobile

Pennsylvania legalized the iGaming industry, including online / mobile casino, sportsbooks, and poker wagering, in October of 2017.

More than a year and a half later, however, and only online / mobile sportsbooks (May 31) and casinos (July 15) have made their debut. Harbach told the newspaper that online / mobile poker’s “peer to peer” nature has created complications ahead of the expected Pennsylvania online poker launch date:

“There’s still some issues to be worked out. It’s a totally different game, because it’s player to player – or peer to peer, as we call it – rather than the player [competing against] the house.”

All told, of the 10 land-based casinos licensed to offer iGaming services, six applied for and received online / mobile poker licenses:

Pennsylvania Casinos Licensed to Offer Online Poker

PokerStars Still Has Big Plans for Pennsylvania Market

The most prominent online / mobile poker operator planning to enter the Pennsylvania online poker market is PokerStars, which announced its partnership with Mount Airy Casino Resort last August.

PokerStars parent company The Stars Group was approved by the PGCB last November, and at the time, senior vice president of strategy and operations Matt Primeaux issued a statement on the company’s plans for PokerStars PA:

“We’re excited to take this next step as The Stars Group looks to broaden its presence in the United States. In partnership with Mount Airy Casino Resort, we believe we’re well positioned to capitalize on opportunities in the Commonwealth by bringing our world leading offerings to Pennsylvania players.”

In March of 2016, PokerStars launched its first regulated American-facing platform in New Jersey.

The Mount Airy partnership promised a second statewide market for PokerStars in the U.S.. But while most iGaming industry media outlets predicted a July 15 launch to gain first mover advantage, PokerStars has pumped the proverbial brakes.

Pennsylvania Online Poker Launch Date

Speaking to PokerFuse, a representative for The Stars Group offered a vague explanation regarding the site’s conspicuous absence on Monday:

“We’re working with our partners and the authorities to finalize plans and bring our leading brands to PA’s players as soon as possible. There’s a lot to look forward to, so rest assured we’ll be in touch with more details as soon as they’re available.”

And when a local player took to Twitter and asked the PokerStars account about its Pennsylvania launch plans, “Ben Long” received the following reply:

“We will get back to you with a response regarding this subject very soon. Thanks for your patience in the meantime.”

Pa Online Poker Launch Dates Schedule

The World Series of Poker or WSOP.com is closeto all systems go for the Pennsylvanian market. One of thelargest and most significant poker networks in the United States is on the cuspof launching in the regulated online poker market in the Keystone State withWSOP PA.

With Pennsylvania players able to participate in regulated online poker games since 2019, and specificallyNovemberwhenPokerStars set up shop, WSOP PA is now looking to join the market, as demand for online poker surges.

While there is no official date when this is exactlyto happen, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has said thatit’s currently going through the motions to allow WSOP.com to roll out itsproduct. WSOP PA is based on 888’s proprietor software, which is currently underreview by the Board’s investigative unit.

888 and WSOP.com’s Keystone Bid in the Final Stages

Obtaining a clearance from the Board is a prerequisitefor launching in the state. With WSOP.com branching out and adding GGPokeras a partner two weeksago, the company is still determined tocollaborate with 888poker in key markets, and Pennsylvania is one such market.

As confirmation of the pending launch of WSOP PA, industry news and analyses website Pokerfuse spoke to PGCB Communications Director Doug Harbach who confirmed the rumors that no timetable had been established but WSOP is on track to be launched on Caesars’ site.

Basically, Harbach suspects that it would take WSOP PAas long to launch in Pennsylvania as long as it takes 888poker to add the finaltweaks to its platform. His recent statement happens to coincide with 888Holdings CEO Itai Pazner’s plans who, in a recent conference call,confirmed that the company remained determined to expand into Pennsylvania,doubly reassured by the rising interest in poker and “more people returning topoker.”

For a long while now, 888 has seen poker as one of thecompany’s key verticals, even though the market, at least in the U.S. legallandscape, hasn’t been posting the most reassuring results. With sports on ahiatus now, however, there have been some positive signs and a surge in demandfor online poker.

Presently, Nevada, New Jersey and Delawareall offer online poker on the 888 network, and Pennsylvania will be joiningthem to give an additional boost to the shared liquidity which determines thesize of the bets.

Final Touches Before the Launch

Naturally, WSOP had to comply with the regulatory frameworkwhich asks of any online operator to tie-up a partnership with a land-basedproperty, and preferably a casino. Since WSOP.com’s parent company, CaesarsInteractive Entertainment owns Harrah’s Casino Philadelphia, the choiceof partner was an easy one to make for the company.

Pa Online Poker Launch Dates Schedule Today

Pennsylvania will be an important addition with theAll American Poker Network (AAPN) boosted by both 888 and WSOP.com. It’salready doing quite well, pulling ahead of its main rival PokerStars New Jerseyfor the better part of the past two years.

However, PokerStars has made a comeback, edging out WSOP/888’s duo, which is once again set to return. Yet, it might take a while to see Pennsylvania joining the other operations outside Pennsylvania, as WSOP PA has not applied for the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) which would allow it to do just that.

Pa Online Poker Launch Date 2019

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