New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware Agree to Deal to Share Online Player Pools
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What to expect?
The formal date has not been announced yet, but the agreement means that players from the three states can look forward to playing online poker against each other in the near future.
In a quote from the Office of the Governor, Christie said, “Pooling players with Nevada and Delaware will enhance annual revenue growth, attract new consumers, and create opportunities for players and Internet gaming operators. This agreement marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for online gaming, and we look forward to working with our partners in Nevada and Delaware in this endeavor.”
The press release issued by the State of New Jersey today states that the deal was agreed to by Governor Brian Sandoval of Nevada and Delaware Governor John Carney.
Caesars Interactive Entertainment released the following statement:
“We applaud the government leadership and the regulators in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware for reaching this meaningful agreement. We will immediately begin efforts to take our existing Delaware-Nevada compact and add New Jersey to the mix by following the requirements established by the regulators so WSOP.com can share liquidity with all three states.”
Other factors to consider
The main hurdle standing in front of the agreement turning into action is the need for a gaming provider to service the three states. Regulators in all three states will have to come to a joint decision on which provider they will first approve before the first interstate hand can be dealt.
With this new legislation in place, gaming operators can offer poker, tournaments, and progressive slot games across the three states.
With this deal in place, a tournament, or tournament series can take place with participants from the three states competing against one another improving the experience for both players and operators.
A step in the right direction
David Rebuck, the Director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement weighed in on behalf of his state saying, “New Jersey stands prepared to approve a game offering for all three states as soon as an operator submits such a product for testing.”
Progress has come at a slow pace for returning regulated online poker to the United States and today’s news is a giant step in the right direction.
States such as Pennsylvania, New York, and Michigan could potentially join this agreement should their respective legislatures regulate online poker within the states.
USPoker will continue to follow the story and provide in-depth analysis and news as it develops.
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