Decent Hand: Online Poker Revenue Holds Strong Before Summer Months; Numbers Mostly Steady from March Totals

April revenue reports were promising across the board for US regulated online poker operators. Online poker revenue reports showed consistency, staying close to March’s strong numbers. 

PokerStars, partypoker US Network, and WSOP.com are planning big summer tournaments with plenty of action in the works for online players. In the US, online poker is currently live and legal in the following states: 

• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Nevada
• Delaware

New Jersey online poker hits $2 million mark

In total, Garden State online poker sites posted $2.2 million in April. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) reports each month on the state’s results.

The industry was down about $300,000 from March’s numbers. New Jersey currently has three online poker operators including:

• WSOP.com/888poker
• partypoker US Network (including the Borgata Poker and BetMGM skins)
• PokerStars

Partypoker network held the spot as number one poker operator for three months in a row. The company reported $805,128 for April, down from $981,831 the previous month.

The operator recently launched the BetMGM Poker Championship, which heads to Aria in Las Vegas in June.  The company is currently running satellites in each state, awarding up to 15 tournament packages in each state.

WSOP.com saw a month-over-month small drop as well, reporting $788,798. Until Michigan joins the ranks, the site remains the only operator offering shared liquidity with Nevada and 888poker in Delaware. No update has been posted yet about a merged Michigan market. 

The site is pushing its monthly Online Circuit Series. All eligible circuit ring winners get a seat into the $1 million freeroll Tournament of Champions event, set for July 18. 

PokerStars saw month-over-month growth in the state. Stars showed $661,006 for April, up from $641,860 in March. The growth was a reflection of the popular Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) series. Currently PokerStars is running the Bounty Builder Series in its three markets.

In the New Jersey live poker scene, only three rooms are open in Atlantic City including:

• Borgata (offers weekly tournaments)
• Harrahs 
• Tropicana

No plans for guaranteed multi-day live events have been announced. 

NJ online gaming maintains strength

April showed strong numbers again for New Jersey online casinos and their partners, reporting $136.9 million in revenue. This is a 27% increase from the same period last year. 

The Borgata/BetMGM brand has been king for 14 straight months in a row. BetMGM continues to be the top operator in the state and showed $39.9 million for the month.

Golden Nugget trailed closely behind with $38.1 million. Resorts held on to third again and posted $29.1 million.

According to the NJDGE, overall gaming revenue reported by casinos, racetracks, and partners was $422.5 million for April. That’s a 20% increase from $352.2 million in April 2021.

Gaming taxes represent 8% of taxable casino gross revenue and 15% of Internet gaming gross revenue.

PA online poker finishes just shy of $3 million but sets gaming record

Pennsylvania continued to hold the top state in the US for online poker revenue and is also up 22% year over year in iGaming. The Keystone State reported poker revenue of $2.9 million for April, a bit down from $3.2 million in March.

The commonwealth currently has three online poker choices:

• PokerStars 
• partypoker US Network via the Borgata Poker and BetMGM skins
• WSOP.com

PokerStars stayed about even for the month, reporting $1.8 million. Stars partners with Mount Airy Casino and continues as the top operator in the state.

WSOP.com, which partners with Harrah’s Philadelphia, was down from the $918,959 reported in March. For April, the site showed a total of $770,756.

The platform isn’t part of the combined player pool in New Jersey and Nevada. The site continues to run monthly Online Circuit Series each month and will have separate online bracelet events this summer as well.

Partypoker US Network (BetMGM/Borgata Poker) is a joint player pool through partners Rivers Casino and Penn National. The company was down slightly for the month and showed a result of $257,019. 

Internet gaming in the Keystone State broke yet another record. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board  (PGCB) reported overall revenue of $113 million, which beat last month’s record of $110 millions. 

Total March gaming (both online and live) revenue was $461.6 million. The state reported annual growth of 14.2%. According to the PGCB, April iGaming taxes alone accounted for $47.2  million.

PA poker rooms run live tournament series 

Pennsylvania tournament players continue to see large guaranteed monthly tournaments. Here’s a look at open live brick-and-mortar Pennsylvania poker rooms:

• Parx Casino
• Mohegan Sun Pocono
• Mount Airy Casino Resort
• Rivers Casino Philadelphia 
• Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
• Meadows Racetrack and Casino
• Philadelphia Live Casino 
• Wind Creek Bethlehem 
• Pittsburgh Live Casino 

Online gaming, poker thrive in Michigan

Michigan online poker continues to grow in the state. The Wolverine State broke another iGaming record in April. According to the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), online casinos and poker brought in $132.4 million in revenue. This beat the previous monthly record in March of $131 million.

Online poker revenue isn’t reported separately, the report includes the combination of poker and online gaming. There are now three online poker operators in the state including:

• PokerStars
• BetMGM (part of the partypoker US Network)
• WSOP.com

BetMGM is also hosting satellite seat giveaways in Michigan. Players can win a seat in Las Vegas this summer.

PokerStars finished the first ever MISCOOP series and now is also running a Bounty Builder Series.   WSOP.com launched the state’s first Online Circuit Series and is already attracting nice fields. The site continues to run monthly circuit events. 

In other Michigan iGaming news, BetMGM had its best month to date and showed gross receipts of $49.9 million. FanDuel posted $21 million.

Gaming operators in total produced $24.7 million in tax revenue and local share to the state including:

• Internet gaming taxes and payments – $24.3 million
• Internet sports betting taxes and payments – $944,006

Multiple Michigan brick and mortar live poker rooms are open in the state’s casinos, including charity rooms:

• MGM Grand Detroit
• Motor City Casino 
• Greektown Casino
• Odawa Casino Petoskey 
• Firekeepers Casino
• Island Resort & Casino

The Mid-States Poker Tour also recently announced a stop at FireKeepers in Battle Creek. The series features a $1 million guaranteed event in May. 

Delaware poker revenue, iGaming hit $1M again

Online poker in the First State reached $35,051 for online operators, slightly down from the $36,050 in March.

For the second month in a row, the state reported online gaming revenue of over $1 million. According to the Delaware Lottery, iGaming showed a net of over $1.2 million. New player registrations were solid with 841 in March.

In Delaware, 888poker operates three different skins in partnership with Delaware’s racetrack casinos including:

• Delaware Park
• Bally’s Dover
• Harrington Casino and Raceway

Delaware Park saw monthly growth with a report of $20,165. The online poker site continues to hold the top spot each month in the state for online poker for 2022.

Delaware Park is the only live poker room open in the state and is currently looking for dealers. The property is offering $500 signing bonuses for those who can pitch cards.