PokerStars Michigan Interstate Online Poker Leadership Challenged by BetMGM
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The Great Lakes State is one of the US States, such as Michigan casinos online poker is most popular, allowing players not only to choose from a wide variety of poker games but also to test their skills against players from other states. Thanks to the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, PokerStars MI merged player pools with its sister platform from New Jersey recently. BetMGM is eager to join the trend, announcing plans to become Michigan's second multi-state poker platform, joining its MI and NJ platforms. Here's what we know thus far.
Michigan Is the Best Poker Market in the U.S.
PokerStars took advantage of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement and joined forces with its New Jersey operation at the start of 2023. After 11 months of implementing shared poker liquidity, the Great Lakes State version of PokerStars has experienced a 32% year-to-year increase in traffic.
PokerStars was already the best-ranking poker platform in the state. Since January 2023, it has boosted Michigan's status on a national level as the top online poker market, dethroning Pennsylvania.
Now, BetMGM, the operator that drives more revenue in Michigan, is getting ready to venture into shared liquidity with its New Jersey casino app. However, the official announcement from BetMGM accentuated the seriousness of its intent without providing a definitive date for the launch.
BetMGM Poker Michigan has experienced a 10% reduction in traffic in 2023. There is no doubt players are migrating to PokerStars, and the appeal of Interstate online poker compared to ring-fenced pools seems to be the reason. So, it is logical to expect that BetMGM will expedite efforts to retain poker players.
BetMGM's Huge Poker Potential
BetMGM is positioned to challenge PokerStars' domination, considering it can merge player pools from three New Jersey clients: Borgata Poker, BetMGM Poker, and Partypoker. The liquidity potential is massive, and this operator is actively working to establish itself as a leader in the competitive industry through reliable apps, Michigan online casino promotions, and immersive poker games.
WSOP.com is another brand currently undecided about including Michigan in its existing pool, which would incorporate Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey. In its case, the problem is not a lack of will or strategic oversight but a technical issue relating to software incompatibility, resulting from the fact that WSOP.com arrived in Michigan after it already created a footprint in its other three markets through different software solutions.
The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement includes five states: Michigan, Delaware, West Virginia, Nevada, and New Jersey. Merging player pools is only possible after an operator receives approval from a local regulatory agency. Thus, BetMGM must request the green light from the Michigan Gaming Control Board before launching its interstate poker endeavor.
Online poker is developing at a slower pace in the U.S. However, estimates place the number of online poker players at 60 million, signaling a competitive market in the upcoming years.
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