It has been about a year since online poker went live in the Keystone State. There were some pretty high expectations for the sector even though it contributes very little to gaming revenue. So far, the biggest development has been the entry of PokerStars, one of the biggest poker brands on the planet. Even though online poker rooms have not flooded the market yet, there are still some very high hopes that poker lovers in the state will have way more online poker options to choose from.
Earlier this month, renowned online poker operator 888 Holdings was granted an interactive gaming manufacturer license by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). Unsurprisingly, this move ignited a lot of excitement. This is especially because it implies that one more online poker brand would be making a debut in the state thus ending PokerStars’ monopoly.
888 Holdings is a renowned B2B supplier of poker solutions to popular gaming brands including the very popular WSOP.com. The approval of the company’s license thus means that the WSOP poker brand could be making a debut in the state. However, poker enthusiasts will be waiting for much longer for the poker option to arrive in the state.
According to a representative from Caesars, there is no specific launch date for the new online poker platform but a timeline may be hinted at in early 2021. Fortunately, the approval of 888 Holdings’ license is certainly going to make the process a lot easier.
A Few Things to Consider
As stated earlier, some things are set to make the launch easier for WSOP.com Pa. Even so, some things that are also specific to the state are certainly going to have an impact on the arrival of the new poker operation.
One of these pertains to the Keystone State’s gambling regulations and requirements. For instance, the WSOP will need to establish a separate server to cater to the Pennsylvanian market. Likely, the operator is already making plans for this.
One of the things that will also probably be put into considerations is the establishment of shared player liquidity with WSOP sites in other states. Pennsylvania is yet to offer any clarification on the possibility of being part of an interstate poker compact. Lots of poker players are, of course, hoping that this will come to pass simply because it would allow them to play against larger fields alongside players from other states. It will also make room for bigger tournaments with bigger prize pools.