Game Changer: PokerStars Given Approval To Run Multi-State Online Poker In Michigan

If you needed evidence of the PokerStars brand’s ongoing dominance in the online casino world, then this might be it. The well-respected operator has been given the green light by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) to offer multi-state poker to its users.

This is a potential game changer and offers users the chance to take on players in a pool across four states and comes long after interstate poker was approved in Michigan back in January 2021.

PokerStars players in New Jersey, Michigan, Delaware, and Nevada can now play alongside each other from the 1st of January 2023 onwards.

Online casinos in Michigan have proven very popular, with revenue generated continuing to rise. In November, the state made gross receipts amounting to $145.4 million, representing a massive 35% increase compared to the same period in 2021.

Interestingly the increase in profits has not been replicated in the state’s sports betting market, which is down 24.6% year on year.

The multi-state online poker announcement is one that will offer users an improved service, with MGCB executive director Henry Williams commenting that the approval means;

“a larger volume of players likely will result in more game options, more frequent games, and larger tournament prizes.”

That larger pool is already in evidence, with upcoming events offering a total of as much as $2.5 million in guaranteed winnings. The upcoming PSPC Online series, which runs through January, includes a main event with a $250 buy-in with a $300k guarantee.

It’s worth noting that PokerStars is the only entity cleared for multi-state action, with the MGCB releasing a statement to that effect;

“Currently, MGM Grand Detroit with BetMGM and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians with World Series of Poker also are authorized poker providers in Michigan, but they are not authorized for multi-jurisdictional play,”

The move is seen as historic in online poker terms and confirmation of an ever-growing audience and user base. It’s also a move that will further cement PokerStars’ dominant position in the market.

The company’s US Managing Director, Severin Rasset, commented on the regulatory approval and its ramifications for players and PokerStars as a whole;

“Michigan and New Jersey joining forces is great news for our players in these two states, and poker, more generally, as it promises a better experience and even more value, all with the confidence provided by a trusted, licensed operator,”

“Our community will experience more breadth and depth of games, more tournaments with bigger prizes to win, amped-up promotions, and more choice. To kick start, we are offering generous guarantees on our debut multi-state tournaments that will no doubt provide lots of value for those who take to the tables. We worked closely with the regulators of New Jersey and Michigan, and we hope that more will follow this great example,” Rasset added.

As of 2020, PokerStars had 89 million registered users, a number that is sure to have increased substantially over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, with at-home play during this period known to have been very high indeed across the market.

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