Game Changer: PokerStars has received approval to operate multi-state online poker in Michigan
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If you needed proof of the current dominance of the PokerStars brand in the online casino world, then this could be it. The respected operator has been given the green light by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGC extension) to offer multi-state poker to their users.
This is a potential game-changer and offers users the ability to face players in a pool across four states and comes long after interstate poker was approved in Michigan in January 2021.
PokerStars players in New Jersey, Michigan, Delaware and Nevada can now play together from January 1, 2023 onwards.
Michigan online casino have proved to be very popular, with ever-increasing revenue generated. In November, the state made $145.4 million in gross receipts, a massive 35% increase over the same period in 2021.
Interestingly, the increase in profits hasn’t been replicated in the state’s sports betting market, which is down 24.6% year over year.
The multi-state online poker announcement is one that will offer users an improved service, with MGC extension Executive Director Commenting on Henry Williams what approval means;
“A higher volume of players will likely translate into more play options, more frequent play, and bigger tournament payouts.”
That bigger pool is already in evidence, with upcoming events offering a total of a whopping $2.5 million in guaranteed winnings. The upcoming PSPC extension The online series, which runs through January, includes a $250 buy-in main event with a $300,000 guarantee.
It is worth noting that PokerStars is the only entity licensed for multi-state action, with the MGC extension issue a statement to that effect;
“Currently, mgm extension Grand Detroit with BetMGM and Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians with World Series of Poker are also licensed poker providers in Michigan, but are not licensed for multi-jurisdictional play.
The move is considered historic in terms of online poker and confirmation of an ever-growing audience and user base. It is also a move that will further strengthen PokerStars’ dominance in the market.
The company’s US CEO, Severin Rasset, commented on the regulatory approval and its implications for players and PokerStars as a whole;
“Michigan and New Jersey joining forces is great news for our players in these two states, and for poker more broadly, as it promises an improved experience and even more value, all with the confidence provided by a trusted and authorized operator”,
“Our community will experience greater breadth and depth of play, more tournaments with bigger prizes to win, amplified promotions and more choice. To kick things off, we’re offering generous guarantees on our debut multi-state tournaments that will no doubt provide plenty of value for those who take their seats at the tables. We have worked closely with regulators in New Jersey and Michigan and hope others follow this great example,” Rasset added.
In 2020, PokerStars had 89 million registered users, a number that has certainly increased significantly amid the coronavirus pandemic, with home gaming during this period known to have been very high indeed across the market.
