Solid Ground: US Online Poker Remains Stable as iGaming Revenue Continues to See Major Growth
Online poker revenue in the US finished out the summer strong, producing solid results in September. The market continues to expand and achieve year-over-year growth.
PokerStars, BetMGM/partypoker US, and WSOP.com continue to offer monthly tournament series alongside cash game promotions. In the US, online poker is currently live and legal in the following states:
New Jersey online poker climbs upward
Poker in the Garden State found growth in September reports. The New Jersey online poker scene has produced over $2 million each month four months in a row.
In total, the state brought in $2.3 million in September as reported by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE). This was up slightly month over month.
New Jersey currently has three legal online poker operators including:
WSOP.com holds the top spot for the fifth consecutive month. The online operator saw month over month growth at $928,753 in September, up from $849,612 in August.
BetMGM remained in second place and held consistent with $724,517. The company is planning a big event tied in with live events this January.
PokerStars stayed in third place and reported $621,015. The company has been promoting online Platinum Passes in all its regulated US markets.
In the New Jersey live poker scene, only three rooms are open in Atlantic City including:
- Borgata (offers weekly tournaments)
- Harrahs
- Tropicana
Borgata recently announced the property’s first multi-day tournament since the pandemic. On Nov. 18, the casino hosts a $1,500 two-day event that carries a $250,000 guarantee.
Please read the details … you will be able to register for the starting November with your betmgm account (you can DM me if you have questions) pic.twitter.com/xSYXcJoC75
— darcey (@darcey1968) October 15, 2022
Resorts overtakes Golden Nugget in iGaming
New Jersey online casinos reported $135.2 million in September revenue, a 10.3% increase year over year. The BetMGM/Borgata casinobrand hit over $40 million for the fourth month in a row.
The company reported $41 million in overall iGaming for the month. The site has remained No. 1 in the state for 18 straight months.
After many months in third, Resorts moved slightly ahead of Golden Nugget for second place. The platform showed $34.19 million compared to the Nugget’s $34.17 million. Resorts also recently launched a live streaming online casino show called Resorts Live.
According to the NJDGE, overall gaming revenue reported by casino, racetracks, and partners reached $485 million for the month. Year over year, that’s a 6.9% increase from $453.6 million in September 2021. Gaming taxes represent 8% of taxable casino gross revenue and 15% of Internet gaming gross revenue.
Pennsylvania is No. 1 in nation for poker revenue
Even after taking a small dip, the Keystone State holds the top spot in the US for legal online poker. Pennsylvania dropped slightly in September to $2.6 million from $2.7 million in August, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). The commonwealth currently offers three online poker platforms:
- PokerStars
- BetMGM (and the Borgata Poker skin)
- WSOP.com
PokerStars is the top site in the state and stayed dead even month over month with $1.6 million. PokerStars Live is giving players a chance to win Platinum Passes. The next one up for grabs heads to Live! Casino Pittsburgh later this month.
WSOP.com came in second with a small drop to $563,179. The platform isn’t part of the combined player pool in New Jersey and Nevada. The site continues to run monthly WSOP Online Circuit events online and has shown growing popularity.
BetMGM came in third, but saw another month of growth with $462,768 in revenue.
Online gaming crushes another record in Pennsylvania
The Keystone State went back to back in setting online gaming records. The state reported $122.7 million, a 15.2% year-over-year increase.
State combined total revenue generated in September from all forms of gaming including fantasy contests reached $448 million. This is an increase of 7.9% compared to September 2021 revenue.
Online gaming, poker combine for Michigan record
When will Michigan slow down? The Wolverine State set another iGaming record according to the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB). Michigan online casinos brought in a total of $176.5 million in September.
Online poker revenue isn’t reported separately in the state, but is helping to grow total online gaming revenue at least to some degree. The monthly Michigan report includes the combination of poker and online gaming. There are currently three online poker operators including:
- PokerStars
- BetMGM
- WSOP.com
Players are still waiting on a merger with other state poker platforms in Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware. No word on a time frame has been mentioned recently.
Michigan online poker
BetMGM, PokerStars, and WSOP.com continue producing solid tournament series in Michigan. Revenue numbers are strong as well. Internet gaming gross receipts for September were $128.7 million.
BetMGM and FanDuel continue at first and second place in online gaming. Both companies saw month over month growth. BetMGM reported a slight drop to $46.2 million while FanDuel picked up the pace and brought in $22.4 million.
Gaming operators in total produced $25.6 million in tax revenue and local share to the state including:
- Internet gaming taxes and payments – $24 million
- Internet sports betting taxes and payments – $759,345
In other Michigan poker news, FireKeepers Casino hosted a $1 million guaranteed Mid-States Poker Tour event in October. Matt Davis took the title for $344,446.
Delaware poker sees small increase
Online poker in Delaware was up slightly for September. The First State reported $36,668 in September, an increase from $35,556 in August.
For the seventh month in a row, the state reported online gaming revenue of over $1 million. According to the Delaware Lottery, iGaming showed a net of $1.3 million – the best of 2022. New player registrations had a strong month with 1,032.
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 had its best month of 2022. The operator reported $28,678 in August. The property was the No. 1 site each month in 2022.
Delaware Park is the only live poker room open in the state. The property, and the casino industry as a whole, is looking for dealers and staff to keep games rolling. Casinos are currently hiring and paying out bonuses for new employees.