Michigan online poker players can now look forward to competing with players in New Jersey as PokerStars recently announced the merging of player pools between the two states on Jan. 1, 2025. To mark this significant occasion, PokerStars has planned thrilling tournaments for everyone to enjoy.
Michigan players who have been unable to participate in shared player pools since the introduction of online poker in early 2021 will be pleased to hear this news.
The proposed bill incorporated provisions for interstate poker expansion, and after a wait until May 2022, the Michigan Gaming Control Board finally reached an agreement to progress with this endeavor.
The dream became a reality after nearly seven months.
According to Severin Rasset, the Managing Director of PokerStars US, the collaboration of Michigan and New Jersey is extremely positive for players in these states and for the overall poker community. This alliance guarantees an enhanced gaming experience and increased benefits, all under the guidance and trust of a reputable licensed operator.
Initially, only residents of Michigan and New Jersey can participate in interstate poker tournaments and cash games on PokerStars MI. Continue reading to discover the forthcoming alterations you can anticipate at the online poker tables in Michigan.
What do merged player pools mean for Michigan poker players?
The interstate poker scene is about to witness an exciting spectacle with the arrival of the big tournament series. Each state’s poker sites have already hosted highly successful series, and now we anticipate even more thrilling action with ambitious prize guarantees that could surpass what Michigan players have grown accustomed to.
Rasset expressed that our community will witness an expansion in the variety and quality of games, a rise in the number of tournaments with substantial rewards, enhanced promotional activities, and increased options. To initiate this, we are presenting lucrative guarantees on our first multi-state tournaments, which undoubtedly offer significant benefits to participants. We collaborated closely with the regulatory bodies of New Jersey and Michigan, and we anticipate that others will follow this commendable precedent.
The regular traffic and tournament guarantees are expected to see an increase, but it is likely to be around 30-50% rather than a doubling of the current number of Michigan tournaments.
In conclusion, the participation of multiple states in interstate poker brings forth a more promising future for each state involved. The augmentation of prize pools serves as a magnet for fresh players, particularly those who previously harbored doubts about the authenticity of online poker. As more states join in, the concerns regarding legitimacy gradually diminish.
This further establishes favorable conditions for states like Pennsylvania to join the agreement, paving the way for other states to legalize online poker in the future. The potential domino effect could be amplified as more states jump on board.
PokerStars MI celebrates shared liquidity with big guarantees
For the first time, Michigan and New Jersey players will have the opportunity to legally compete against each other in two special tournaments during the Jan. 1 kickoff.
- There is a $100K guaranteed prize pool for a poker tournament that requires a $100 buy-in, starting at 6 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
- At 6:30 p.m. ET, there will be a poker tournament with a $10 buy-in and a guaranteed prize pool of $50,000.
The registration for both events commences on December 27th.
Stay tuned for upcoming weeks as we bring you thrilling updates on big-money tournaments and online poker series.
Software updates were the missing piece to interstate play
When will Michigan’s other sites, BetMGM Poker and World Series of Poker MI, join player pools?
In the last month, BetMGM and PokerStars have both released software updates for their desktop and mobile apps. This marks the start of Michigan’s entry into shared liquidity under the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.
BetMGM initiated the process by enhancing the software on its New Jersey platform, which had been operating on an outdated version predating its entrance into the Michigan and Pennsylvania markets in 2021. Following the upgrade, BetMGM NJ now operates on the same software as its Michigan counterpart.
On December 12-13, PokerStars also decided to go ahead with scheduled maintenance, resulting in the temporary shutdown of its platforms in MI and NJ. According to their announcement, players from both states can anticipate an increase in the number of games and tournaments, along with larger prize pools and guarantees.
The MSIGA’s inclusion of Michigan represents the inaugural interstate poker endeavor for both states. Previously, only WSOP facilitated interstate poker by organizing tournaments accessible to players from New Jersey and Nevada.
Similar to BetMGM, WSOP has enhanced its software for the Michigan market and the ring-fenced Pennsylvania market. Unless WSOP expands to other locations or Pennsylvania becomes part of the interstate compact, WSOP MI will solely cater to residents of Michigan.
Each site will see different results from interstate poker in Michigan
Michigan’s online poker traffic is much higher than New Jersey’s, even though WSOP.com has been active in the latter state for over nine years, despite Michigan’s online poker market being less than two years old.
Due to varying traffic levels in New Jersey, each counterpart of Michigan will be affected differently by the merging of player pools.
PokerStars, being the largest site in Michigan, has a lesser presence in New Jersey. Similarly, BetMGM’s New Jersey skins are the smallest within the state. In both cases, players from New Jersey are likely to benefit more by accessing the player pool in Michigan.
In contrast, Michigan’s current pool is almost half the size of New Jersey’s potential pool. New Jersey is heavily influenced by WSOP and allows players to participate in interstate competitions already.
PokerStars and BetMGM have great potential to increase their market share in New Jersey’s online poker industry by expanding into Michigan, particularly since WSOP seems to be the last to embrace interstate play.
The potential for WSOP’s success in Michigan is significant, considering its strong presence in New Jersey and Nevada. Despite currently having the smallest room in Michigan, WSOP holds the most renowned brand in the poker industry. With the introduction of a post-MSIGA WSOP.com, tournaments will involve players from three different states, offering the much-needed boost that WSOP has been lacking.
Will WSOP MI launch interstate play in time for the 2025 World Series of Poker?
WSOP.com has been recognized as the pioneer of interstate poker play between New Jersey and Nevada. However, in order to accommodate its Michigan platform, the site requires an upgrade of its software.
In a historic move, the player pools of New Jersey and Nevada were merged on WSOP.com on May 1, 2018. This synchronization came just in time for the annual World Series of Poker festival held in Las Vegas that year. As a result, players from New Jersey were granted a remarkable opportunity to compete for multiple online bracelets from the comfort of their own homes, marking a significant milestone in the realm of poker.
Pools took nearly seven months to come together after the initial October 2017 announcement.
It appears highly improbable that the summer WSOP online series in Michigan will conclude within the next seven months.
It is highly likely that WSOP will update its software in Q1 2025, either before or alongside the release of the complete 2025 WSOP schedule. The potential revenue from expanding into Michigan is too substantial to ignore.
Michigan players now have the opportunity to compete for esteemed WSOP bracelets this summer without having to endure scorching temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.
