Multi-State Online Poker in the US

US multi-state online poker allows players in different regulated states to compete against one another at the same online poker tables. Also known as interstate poker, cross-state poker, or shared liquidity, it has become a central part of the regulated US online poker market.

Six states currently participate in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA): Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Pennsylvania became the sixth and most recent member in April 2025.

However, MSIGA does not create one universal six-state poker network. Individual operators must be licensed in multiple member states and receive the necessary regulatory approvals before combining their player pools.

As a result, today’s largest US online poker networks cover different combinations of states. BetRivers Poker and WSOP Online each operate four-state shared networks, while BetMGM Poker, PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel, and DraftKings Electric Poker currently connect players across three states.

This guide explains how multi-state online poker works, which states and operators share liquidity, the history of MSIGA, and how interstate poker could expand in the future.

How Multi-State Online Poker Works

Online poker is regulated at the state level in the US. An operator receiving a license in one state cannot automatically combine those players with customers in another state.

For interstate poker to work, several things generally need to happen:

• Both states must allow regulated real money online poker.
• Both states must permit interstate player pooling.
• The states must participate in an agreement allowing shared liquidity.
• The poker operator must be properly licensed in each participating state.
• Regulators must authorize the operator to combine its player pools.

The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement provides the framework currently used by regulated US poker operators to share players across state borders.

Why Shared Liquidity Matters for Online Poker

Poker is different from most other forms of online gambling because players compete against each other rather than solely against the operator.

That makes liquidity — the number of players available to compete at any given time — particularly important.

Combining several states can provide:

• More active cash game tables
• More games running at different stakes
• Larger tournament fields
• Bigger potential tournament guarantees
• Shorter waits for Sit & Go tournaments
• More games running outside peak hours
• A wider selection of poker formats

A small state can therefore support a much stronger poker ecosystem when its players are connected to customers in several other states.

Delaware and West Virginia provide good examples. Both have relatively small populations, but BetRivers Poker players in those states currently share tables with players in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

US Multi-State Online Poker Networks

There are currently five regulated poker networks sharing players across state lines.

The states connected by each network depend on where the operator is licensed and where regulators have approved interstate play.

This means players in two MSIGA states are not necessarily able to play against one another on every poker platform.

For example, Nevada and Delaware are both MSIGA members, but there is currently no operator connecting those two states. WSOP Online operates in Nevada but not Delaware, while BetRivers Poker operates in Delaware but not Nevada.

BetRivers Poker: PA, MI, DE & WV

BetRivers Poker operates a four-state network connecting:

• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Delaware
• West Virginia

BetRivers originally launched its poker platform in Pennsylvania in October 2024.

In June 2025, it expanded into Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia and simultaneously connected all four states into one shared player pool.

The expansion was particularly significant for Delaware and West Virginia. It ended an approximately 18-month period without regulated online poker in Delaware and introduced the first regulated online poker room ever to launch in West Virginia.

BetRivers remains the only active regulated poker operator in Delaware and West Virginia.

The operator previously announced plans to expand into New Jersey, but that launch has not taken place. As a result, the current BetRivers Poker network remains a four-state pool consisting of PA, MI, DE, and WV.

WSOP Online: NV, NJ, MI & PA

WSOP Online operates the other four-state regulated poker network in the US.

Its shared player pool consists of:

• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Michigan
• Pennsylvania

WSOP’s interstate network has expanded in stages.

Nevada and New Jersey were connected under the original interstate framework, and Michigan joined the WSOP shared network in May 2024.

Pennsylvania became the fourth state in April 2025, shortly after officially joining MSIGA.

The expansion made WSOP Online the first regulated US poker operator to combine players from four states.

WSOP remains the only active multi-state poker network that includes Nevada.

BetMGM Poker: NJ, MI & PA

BetMGM Poker operates a three-state network connecting:

• New Jersey
• Michigan
• Pennsylvania

BetMGM initially combined its New Jersey and Michigan player pools in November 2024.

After Pennsylvania joined MSIGA, BetMGM added PA to the network in April 2025.

BetMGM’s underlying poker network also includes other skins in applicable markets. For example, Borgata Poker players in New Jersey and Pennsylvania share the same underlying player pool as BetMGM Poker players.

The result is one three-state network rather than separate pools for each BetMGM-affiliated poker brand.

PokerStars Exclusively on FanDuel: NJ, MI & PA

One of the biggest changes to the US multi-state poker landscape came in April 2026, when the legacy PokerStars US platform was replaced by PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel.

The new network combines players from:

• New Jersey
• Michigan
• Pennsylvania

The change expanded the old PokerStars interstate setup, which had previously combined New Jersey and Michigan while Pennsylvania remained separate.

With the April 2026 launch, players from all three states began competing on the same platform and sharing cash games and tournament fields.

The new platform is operated through FanDuel and uses a shared FanDuel account and wallet while retaining the PokerStars brand for poker.

PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel also operates in Ontario, but Ontario remains separate from the US player pool.

DraftKings Electric Poker: NJ, MI & PA

DraftKings has also entered the multi-state poker market with Electric Poker.

Electric Poker is available in:

• Michigan
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania

DraftKings combined the three state pools in July 2026 after receiving approval for shared liquidity.

Unlike the other networks on this list, Electric Poker is not currently a full traditional online poker room offering a lobby of cash games and scheduled MTTs.

Instead, Electric Poker is a three-player, hyper-turbo No Limit Hold’em tournament format with randomized prize pools.

Despite the more limited format, it is a player-versus-player real-money poker product, and players from NJ, MI, and PA now compete against one another through the same shared network.

Which States Are in MSIGA?

Six states currently belong to the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement:

• Delaware
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia

All six currently have active regulated real-money online poker.

Pennsylvania was the latest state to join, becoming the sixth MSIGA member in April 2025.

Its addition was particularly significant because Pennsylvania has the largest population of any MSIGA state. It also allowed several existing poker operators to expand their shared networks almost immediately.

Are There Legal Online Poker States Outside MSIGA?

Yes.

Other states have enacted laws that can permit regulated online poker but have not launched active poker rooms or joined MSIGA.

That distinction is important. Legalizing online poker does not automatically result in operators launching, and launching regulated poker does not automatically mean that a state will participate in interstate liquidity.

For a state to become part of today’s shared poker ecosystem, it must establish the necessary legal and regulatory framework and then enter an agreement such as MSIGA.

US Multi-State Online Poker History

Multi-state poker developed gradually as regulated online poker expanded across the US.

Nevada and Delaware took the first major step in 2014 when the two states entered an agreement allowing licensed online poker operators to combine player pools.

New Jersey subsequently joined the agreement in 2017, creating a three-state interstate poker compact.

The growth of shared liquidity then slowed because of uncertainty surrounding the federal Wire Act.

Nevada & Delaware Create the First Poker Compact

Nevada and Delaware were among the first states to regulate real-money online poker following Black Friday.

In 2014, the two states entered an interstate agreement that allowed licensed poker operators to combine players across state borders.

This established the foundation for what eventually became MSIGA.

For online poker, the concept was particularly important. Instead of requiring every regulated state to maintain an isolated player pool, interstate agreements provided a way for smaller markets to combine their populations.

New Jersey Joins MSIGA

New Jersey launched regulated online poker in November 2013.

The state joined the interstate agreement in October 2017, when New Jersey signed the agreement with Delaware and Nevada.

This created a three-state compact and allowed qualifying operators to begin connecting players across participating markets.

WSOP and 888 were the primary beneficiaries at the time because their network had the necessary presence across the participating states.

Multi-State Poker & the Wire Act

Expansion of interstate poker was complicated by a federal legal dispute involving the Wire Act.

In 2011, the US Department of Justice concluded that the Wire Act’s prohibitions were limited to sports betting.

That interpretation provided states with greater confidence that interstate online poker agreements could operate without violating the federal law.

The DOJ changed its interpretation in 2018, arguing that the Wire Act could apply more broadly to other forms of interstate gambling.

That created uncertainty for states considering online gambling and shared poker liquidity.

The Wire Act Court Battle

The New Hampshire Lottery Commission challenged the DOJ’s revised interpretation in federal court.

In 2019, the US District Court for the District of New Hampshire ruled against the broader interpretation.

The US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit subsequently upheld the ruling, concluding that the Wire Act applies to bets or wagers on sporting events rather than online gambling generally.

The DOJ declined to pursue the case further.

The outcome removed a major source of uncertainty surrounding interstate online poker and helped clear the way for MSIGA to expand.

Michigan Joins MSIGA

Michigan joined MSIGA in April 2022, becoming the fourth member.

Michigan’s entry was particularly important because several major poker operators already had platforms in both Michigan and New Jersey.

PokerStars became the first operator to take advantage of Michigan’s membership, combining its Michigan and New Jersey player pools on January 1, 2023.

WSOP and BetMGM subsequently established their own interstate networks involving Michigan.

West Virginia Becomes the Fifth Member

West Virginia joined MSIGA in November 2023, becoming the compact’s fifth member.

The state had legalized online poker several years earlier but did not have an active operator.

That changed in June 2025 when BetRivers Poker launched in West Virginia as part of its four-state network.

The launch made BetRivers the first regulated real-money online poker operator to go live in the state.

Pennsylvania Becomes the Sixth MSIGA State

Pennsylvania officially became the sixth MSIGA member in April 2025.

The move had an almost immediate impact.

BetMGM and WSOP quickly added Pennsylvania to their existing interstate networks. BetRivers subsequently incorporated PA into its four-state network when it expanded into Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia in June 2025.

PokerStars Pennsylvania remained separate during 2025, but that changed with the April 2026 launch of PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel, which combined Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan.

DraftKings followed with another three-state network in July 2026 when it combined its Electric Poker players from PA, NJ, and MI.

As a result, Pennsylvania now participates in more active interstate poker networks than any other MSIGA state.

What’s Next for Multi-State Online Poker?

The US shared-liquidity market has expanded significantly since Pennsylvania joined MSIGA.

All six member states now have active regulated online poker, and several operators have built three- or four-state networks.

Further growth can come in two ways: existing operators can launch in additional MSIGA states, or additional states can legalize online poker and join the compact.

Could BetRivers Poker Launch in New Jersey?

New Jersey is the most obvious potential expansion market for BetRivers Poker.

The operator previously announced plans to bring its platform to New Jersey after launching its four-state PA-MI-DE-WV network.

A New Jersey launch has not yet taken place.

If BetRivers eventually launches in NJ and receives approval to combine the new room with its existing network, it could expand from four states to five.

Until that happens, BetRivers players in New Jersey are not part of its multi-state poker network.

Could Existing Networks Add More MSIGA States?

Yes, but an operator needs an appropriate path into another state before it can add that market to its player pool.

The current networks demonstrate how differently this can develop.

WSOP reaches Nevada but does not operate in Delaware or West Virginia. BetRivers reaches Delaware and West Virginia but not Nevada or New Jersey. BetMGM and PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel currently concentrate on the three large markets of Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

MSIGA provides the legal framework for shared liquidity, but each operator’s network footprint ultimately depends on licensing, regulatory approval, commercial strategy, and where it offers online poker.

Could More States Join MSIGA?

Yes.

A state that legalizes and regulates online poker can potentially pursue membership in MSIGA, provided its laws permit interstate player pooling.

For smaller states in particular, shared liquidity can make regulated poker more commercially viable because operators do not need to rely solely on the state’s population to generate traffic.

Pennsylvania’s 2025 entry demonstrated how much a new member can change the market. It enabled WSOP and BetMGM to expand existing networks, helped support BetRivers’ four-state expansion, and eventually allowed PokerStars on FanDuel and DraftKings Electric Poker to establish new three-state pools.

Multi-State Online Poker FAQ

What does multi-state online poker mean?

Multi-state online poker allows licensed and regulated real-money poker operators to combine players from different US states into one shared player pool.

It is also known as interstate poker, cross-state poker, or shared liquidity.

For example, a WSOP Online player in Nevada can compete at the same table as WSOP players located in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

What is MSIGA?

MSIGA stands for the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.

It provides a framework that allows participating states to share online gaming liquidity, including regulated online poker player pools.

The agreement began with Nevada and Delaware, with New Jersey subsequently joining in 2017. Michigan became the fourth member in 2022, West Virginia the fifth in 2023, and Pennsylvania the sixth in 2025.

What states are members of MSIGA?

Six states currently participate in MSIGA:

• Delaware
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia

Pennsylvania is the most recent state to join, becoming a member in April 2025.

Which online poker site has the most states in its shared player pool?

BetRivers Poker and WSOP Online currently operate four-state networks.

BetRivers connects Pennsylvania, Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia.

WSOP Online connects Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

BetMGM Poker, PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel, and DraftKings Electric Poker currently operate three-state networks.

Do all MSIGA states play together?

No.

MSIGA does not create a single universal player pool containing every poker player in all six member states.

Operators must be licensed and approved for shared liquidity in the individual states they want to connect.

As a result, different poker networks combine different groups of MSIGA states.

What states share players on BetRivers Poker?

BetRivers Poker currently connects players from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia.

All four states participate in one shared BetRivers player pool.

What states share players on WSOP Online?

WSOP Online currently combines players from Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

It is one of two active four-state regulated poker networks in the US.

What states share players on BetMGM Poker?

BetMGM Poker combines players from New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Borgata Poker players in applicable states also participate in the underlying BetMGM Poker Network.

What states share players on PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel?

PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel operates a shared US network connecting New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

The three-state pool launched in April 2026.

Does DraftKings have multi-state poker?

Yes.

DraftKings Electric Poker combines players from Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

The three state pools were combined in July 2026.

Electric Poker is currently a three-player hyper-turbo No Limit Hold’em tournament product rather than a complete traditional poker room with cash games and scheduled MTTs.

Does multi-state poker include players in Europe or Canada?

No regulated US multi-state poker network currently shares liquidity with players outside the United States.

MSIGA currently connects participating US jurisdictions. PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel, for example, operates in both the US and Ontario, but the Ontario poker pool remains separate from its shared NJ-MI-PA network.

Can California join multi-state online poker?

California would first need to establish a regulated real-money online poker market before interstate shared liquidity could become a practical possibility.

If California eventually regulates online poker, lawmakers and regulators could then determine whether the state should participate in an interstate agreement such as MSIGA.

Why is shared liquidity important for online poker?

Online poker depends on having enough players available at the same time to fill tables and tournaments.

Combining states can increase the number of active players, support more cash game stakes and formats, create larger tournament fields, reduce waiting times, and make regulated poker more viable in states with smaller populations.

What was the first multi-state online poker agreement?

Nevada and Delaware entered the first interstate online poker agreement in 2014.

New Jersey joined in 2017, and the agreement subsequently expanded into what is now a six-state MSIGA compact.

What was the latest state to join MSIGA?

Pennsylvania is the newest member.

The state officially joined MSIGA in April 2025, becoming the sixth member alongside Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and West Virginia.