Pennsylvania is well on track to joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), with online poker shared liquidity expecteed to launch as soon April, pokerfuse can reveal.
State regulator, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), recently confirmed that behind-the-scenes work is progressing to ensure a launch in early Q2 2025, and there is no indication of obstacles that could delay the process.
A Pennsylvania poker player who inquired about the status of the agreement shared a response on PA Discord from the PGCB, stating:
“The agreement is with the Governor for signature. We are proceeding with all that is involved behind the scenes for the launching of interstate poker early in the second quarter, and we have no reason to believe the agreement would not be officially in place for that to lawfully occur.”
This statement strongly suggests that Pennsylvania is still on course to go live with shared liquidity before the start of WSOP 2025, even though the final signature is still pending.
Pokerfuse has independently confirmed the accuracy of the facts within the post with PGCB.Director of Communications Douglas Harbach, who reinforced that the regulatory process is moving forward as expected.
In December 2024, PA received an official invitation to join the MSIGA, weeks after the governor sent a letter to PGCB asking the regulator to pursue the state’s membership in the compact. Harbach confirmed to us that the state has accepted the invitation and was in the process of reviewing the necessary paperwork. That review now appears to be at or near completion, with the Governor’s signature seemingly being the final formality before the state officially joins the compact.
Currently, MSIGA is comprised of five states — Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan and West Virginia. The compact was first formed in February 2024 between NV and DE. It expanded to include NJ in October 2017. MI joined in May 2022, followed by WV in November 2023. Pennsylvania’s addition will make it the sixth state to join the agreement and the largest of all.
How PA’s Entry into MSIGA Will Transform US Online Poker
We have seen time and again how shared liquidity boosts prize pools, expands game selection, ensures round the clock action, and ultimately drives higher revenues for both operators and the state.
This was first evident in US online poker when WSOP merged NJ and NV in May 2018, when PokerStars connected MI and NJ in January 2023, and more recently when BetMGM launched its shared liquidity network with those same states as PokerStars. In each case, player pools grew, cash game traffic surged, and revenues increased.
BetMGM, for instance, now leads online poker revenue in New Jersey (Michigan does not report poker-specific revenue) and has topped US cash game traffic rankings since launching its shared liquidity network in November.
The addition of Pennsylvania online poker to MSIGA would be a game-changer for online poker in the US, as all major operators—including newly launched BetRivers, currently exclusive to PA—have a presence in the state.
PA’s entry into the compact would allow all operators to expand their networks. For WSOP, this would be a major milestone, as it could enable WSOP PA players to compete for online bracelets alongside those in Nevada, New Jersey, and Michigan—potentially creating the first four-state shared liquidity network in the US.
PokerStars and BetMGM would also benefit, as adding PA to their existing Michigan-New Jersey networks could nearly double their traffic and tournament prize pools.
Meanwhile, newly launched BetRivers Poker, currently only live in Pennsylvania, could be incentivized to expand into other MSIGA states like Michigan and New Jersey, forming its own shared liquidity network. The operator also has access to Delaware’s monopoly market, giving it the potential to create a four-state network. Additionally, both BetMGM and BetRivers could consider launching in West Virginia.
PA Poker Players Await Final MSIGA Approval
But first, Pennsylvania must officially join MSIGA. Once that happens, operators are expected to fast-track the process of integrating PA into their shared liquidity networks, given its status as one of the largest online poker markets in the country.
While the exact timing of the Governor’s signature remains unknown, the PGCB’s statement indicates that the process is proceeding smoothly. With backend preparations already underway, Pennsylvania appears on course to launch interstate online poker in the coming months, possibly well before the start of the 2025 World Series of Poker, which kicks off on May 27.
Pokerfuse will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
