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An expanded schedule and new high-stakes events helped grow total buy-ins for the iconic series to just under $1 million in 2024, up from about $534,000 just five years earlier.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) tells pokerfuse that professional poker players picked for ads must not meet the description of a celebrity or entertainer who appeals to minors.

Two bills to legalize online poker and casino are making their way through the legislature. Meanwhile, businesses invested in VGTs are nervously watching land-based casinos expand. They’ll fuel opposition to expanded igaming.

“Texas Hold 'Em” is a new song by Queen Bey and one of two she released during Super Bowl LVIII. Husband and superstar rapper Jay-Z is a big fan of poker, too.

Online poker is legal in eight states but only available in four. The reasons for this include three states empowering their lotteries to run igaming while two states awarded igaming monopolies. Neither has proven to be a smart move.

Can the fragmented US online poker industry support an online poker network? One company thinks it can.

Despite improved detection by operators, players remain crucial in exposing cheats, as evident in the recent ACR and GGPoker scandals.

WVLC Director John Myers told Poker Industry PRO in an exclusive that the regulator initially thought operators would jump at the chance to launch in the Mountain State in Q1. Instead, it will probably be Q2 or later.

BetMGM has an interactive gaming license in Nevada. It can also tap into the popularity of the ARIA Poker Classic, which will coincide with WSOP 2024, as the springboard for any launch.

Governor Josh Shapiro and other Democrats are focused on helping President Biden win reelection in November. A decision on whether the state joins the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) will have to wait.

It’s been nearly three years since the idea of creating a new online poker room in the US with a Sports Illustrated (SI) theme was first suggested. But problems at SI itself may have derailed those plans for good.

The parent companies for Stake.us and Global Poker got cease-and-desist letters from the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) last year. Fantasy sports platform PredictionStrike was also targeted by the regulator.

The province’s six operators combined for a record CAD $431 million in wagers and $17 million in revenue during the quarter, which ended on December 31.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s executive budget does not include revenue from expanded igaming. It’s a sign that she isn’t on board with launching online casino and poker in the Empire State — at least for now.

Last month, Spectrum Gaming Group estimated that online poker in the Hoosier State would make about $35.1 million in its first three years. But that’s down from a three-year estimate of $43.2 million the firm made in July 2022.

A coalition that includes BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel think it’s time for the Empire State to legalize online casino gaming and poker. They have a 30-second ad on YouTube to help make their case.

LD 1777 in its current form would allow four tribes to offer online casino and poker, but two commercial casinos could not. The bill faces an uncertain future, considering the tribes just got a monopoly on mobile sports betting.

Senator Ron Watson (D-Bowie) is back with another bill that proposes to legalize and online casino gaming — including multi-state online poker — in Maryland. But the new bill also calls for levying a 46.5% tax rate.

It’s the second-largest province in Canada, so every major online poker operator will likely want to launch there. But some may be more interested than others.

Parent company Rush Street Interactive looks to hire two new poker directors as Phil Galfond’s RIO Poker moves towards a US launch.