West Virginia Joins MSIGA for Online Poker Liquidity
West Virginia finally did it. And New Jersey appears to have been the driving force.
West Virginia joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), becoming the fifth state to do so. This gives online poker operators the incentive to launch poker sites in that state because they can link WV players with those in other states to create a viable player pool.
MSIGA Grows to Five
West Virginia was the fifth state in America to legalize and regulate online poker. After WV Delegate Shawn Fluharty introduced proposals into the legislature for years, he enlisted fellow Delegate Jason Barrett in 2019 to help. It worked, and the legislature passed the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act on March 9, 2019. Governor Jim Justice did not approve but allowed the bill to move without his veto. On June 9, 2019, it was official.
Online poker, along with casino games and online lottery sales, became legal in West Virginia at that time. However, the small population of the state curtailed interest from online poker operators. While companies launched online gambling sites in the years that followed, they did not include poker among their offerings.
The key to West Virginia becoming a viable part of the US online poker market was joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, better known as MSIGA. For reasons still unclear, though, the state didn’t join. Even when Michigan signed MSIGA in 2022, West Virginia did not.
What Changed?
Pokerfuse uncovered the primary driver of West Virginia signing the MSIGA. The person was one of the people most responsible for building and growing the post-Black Friday US poker market – New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Director David Rebuck.
As far back as 2012 and 2013, when Nevada and Delaware moved toward state-regulated online poker alongside New Jersey, Rebuck understood the new industry. He saw the online poker potential in multi-state agreements, which was one of the reasons that New Jersey signed on with Nevada and Delaware so quickly.
In addition, West Virginia trusted Rebuck. When the WV Lottery was developing its igaming framework and building it out, lottery officials consulted a great deal with their colleagues in New Jersey. Rebuck has played a key role in most states’ igaming development.
Of course, Delegate Fluharty has always understood the power of online poker liquidity. And his new position as National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) President may have played a role in West Virginia’s forward movement. While Fluharty has taken no credit for the MSIGA signing, he will now be able to use WV as a model for how a sparsely-populated state can benefit from online poker – that is, when operators launch their sites in WV.
Official Announcement
The West Virginia Lottery announced the execution of the updated multi-state agreement on November 14.
Per WV Lottery Director John Myers, “I am pleased that our West Virginia igaming providers will now have the opportunity to offer multi-state poker to our players. This will greatly increase the potential pool of participants and thus allow our players to play for bigger winnings.”
The notice explained that potential online poker operators must now submit a letter of intent if they want to offer online poker to West Virginians. Those with licenses for other forms of igaming must still obtain necessary approvals from West Virginia – and other cosigners of MSIGA – to launch and connect their sites across state lines.
When Will Online Poker Launch in WV?
The list of igaming licensees on the WV Lottery website shows one key company already in the regulated industry. RSI is Rush Street Interactive, the company that purchased Phil Galfond’s Run It Once Poker in 2022. RSI has been strategically positioning itself for entry to the US online poker market, not only with that purchase but with its recent approval as the new igaming provider for Delaware’s igaming market. It is expected to launch the new Delaware online casino and poker sites soon.
That puts RSI, using Run It Once Poker software, at the top of the list for West Virginia online poker.
Another likely player in the game will be PokerStars. While the company does not yet have a WV igaming license, it can do so when ready. PokerStars was the first poker site to launch in Pennsylvania, first to launch in Michigan, and still the only company to join its Michigan site to its New Jersey poker pool, which it launched on January 1, 2023.
PokerStars likes leading the way.
Eventually, BetMGM and WSOP are likely to get in on the WV online poker action. For now, though, the two operators have yet to even connect their sites in New Jersey and Michigan. WSOP.com has the most to gain, as it is currently the only operator with a site in Nevada, which is connected to New Jersey. As of November 2023, however, neither WSOP nor BetMGM have announced their intentions for connecting more sites.
