We learned early last week that Pennsylvania will be entering the online casino market soon. Now, we’re left to wonder which online poker sites will be the ones to launch in PA first. At this point, it’s likely that there will be four.
This scramble came about during a meeting of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). During the meeting, Executive Director Kevin O’Toole declared July 15 as the action date for the launch.
You can make payments to PA online poker sites with cash at these locations. Online banking: If you can make bill payments online, the chances are that you can deposit at an online poker site from your bank account as well. PA poker and card rooms. Pennsylvania plays host to one of the most extensive live poker scenes in the US.
“Staff has reviewed the estimated time that it would take for us and the industry to complete all necessary steps, and it is our view that 90 days would be adequate,” O’Toole said. “Accordingly, I have advised the 10 iGaming certificate holders and three iGaming operators that a coordinated go-live period for interactive gaming will commence on July 15, 2019.”
Based on available evidence, USPoker believes that the following four sites will be first to launch.
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World Series of Poker (WSOP.com)
The most obvious site to launch will be the one from World Series of Poker. WSOP.com is the most famous brand in the history of poker, and it stands to reason that it will enjoy plenty of name recognition in Pennsylvania.
WSOP is also the market leader in New Jersey. Since New Jersey and Pennsylvania border each other, it seems likely that WSOP.com’s name will bear fruit for players who already cross into New Jersey to play their games.
WSOP also has no problems with licensure or being qualified. Parent company Caesars already operates Harrah’s Philadelphia, and WSOP could piggyback onto that license with little difficulty.
PokerStars
PokerStars PA will likely launch on July 15 as well. The worldwide leader must enter the market to remain as relevant and active as possible.
PokerStars has already tipped its hand a bit, so to speak. The Stars Group has had a relationship with Mount Airy Casino for several months now.
PokerStars is also the strongest arm of the Stars Group. So, with online sports betting and online gambling in the offing, PokerStars is also the best chance that BetStars and PokerStars Casino has to become profitable in the desert. The hope is that the global champion that is the poker side will drive traffic to those other endeavors.
Partypoker
Partypoker will probably come along at the same time for one simple reason. Namely, the company is seeking to replicate and outrun everything that PokerStars has done in the past.
Many of partypoker’s recent innovations are virtual counterparts to Stars’ programs. For instance, its Diamond Club and Diamond Club Elite player rewards systems closely mirror the bygone Supernova and Supernova Elite programs at PokerStars.
Partypoker has also declared war on predatory play, banning HUDs and other third-party software. These actions would not be unusual if the news weren’t concurrent with a PokerStars ban of seating scripts.
Also, partypoker already has a deal in place with Valley Forge Casino. So, a simultaneous launch with its bitterest rival makes sense.
888 Poker
888 Poker might be the fourth site to launch for a very simple reason. Quite simply, 888 may launch because it’s just convenient to do so.
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888 powers the WSOP client software, and works very closely with WSOP. As a result, it really wouldn’t be much of a stretch for 888 to go through preparing the launch with WSOP and launch its site concurrently.
888 also has a deal with Harrah’s, so there aren’t any license partner issues. The PA law allows Harrah’s to have as many skins as it wants, so there’s no problem there, either.
In other words, 888 may have the shortest path to launch of any site … so the company might just decide to move a step forward.
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Of course, to say that all these sites will launch is a guess. There could always be a surprise on the July 15 deadline.
However, these four sites seem to be best-prepared to launch that day. We’ll have to see.
If you are reading this, then you are interested in finding out about online poker in the state of Pennsylvania. But before we get into that, it's important understand the state of online poker as it is in the U.S., and why we choose to go state-by-state to discuss the details of the status. It's because of the fact that there are few if any regulated online poker sites in the country. However, the good news for online poker players living in states like Pennsylvania is that there are legitimate places to turn for legal USA poker no matter what game they seek, or the level of stakes they want to play for.
Further down below on this page, you will find out about online poker as it relates to Pennsylvania. Can online poker be played in the state? And if it can, how can this be done without violating any state or federal laws that are enacted? We've already alluded to the fact that it is possible to do legally, but will go more in depth to answer this question and explain why and how this is possible. And from there, hopefully you will be equipped with the necessary information to feel confident about online poker as a Pennsylvania resident.
Is Online Poker Legal In Pennsylvania?
The answer to this question has a couple of important aspects that need to be noted. First, online poker can absolutely be played legally in the state of Pennsylvania. However, these sites are not regulated by the state government, nor do they exist in the U.S. at all. These legal Internet poker rooms are based in operation outside of the United States. But because of the fact that they welcome players from the U.S., including in almost every case Pennsylvania, players have their legal outlet for online poker.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is a piece of federal legislation banning online gambling companies from knowingly accepting payments in conjunction with a bet or wager. This obviously falls under the umbrella of online gambling. But the most important aspect to this law as it concerns the poker player is the fact that they are not targeted. Placing a bet is not illegal under this federal law, and therefore, offshore sites that are not under federal jurisdiction are well within their right to operate and accept whoever they want. And keeping with that theme, Pennsylvania players are well within their right to legally sign up.
Learn More:Is Online Poker Legal In The United States?
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One site that Pennsylvania online poker players should check out is SportsBetting. As one of the most recognizable names in the online gambling industry, SportsBetting is legal to sign up and play for residents in Pennsylvania. There is an age requirement of 18 to place a wager, but in Pennsylvania that age is 21. To legally gamble at SportsBetting, it is important to comply with state gambling requirements.
Playing in the poker room at SportsBetting is a great experience. There are a ton of different card games to play, and various limit tables. There are tournament as well, including World Series of Poker satellite events.
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Funding your account at SportsBetting for real cash games is easy as well. By using VISA, Bitcoin, or wire transfers, Americans will have no issues when it comes to putting real money into their accounts... it's one of the things that separates SportsBetting from the rest.
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Online poker in the state of Pennsylvania can be played legally at these offshore sites we mentioned. As far as the future of regulation at the state level, that is difficult to say. Online poker continues to be very popular in the United States and the future of legalizing and regulating it within the borders could happen. Fortunately, there are plenty of great legal Internet poker sites to join which accept players in the state of Pennsylvania today.