Online Poker Expected To Launch In West Virginia This YearState To Add 1.8 Million To Player Pool Population |
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Online gaming began in West Virginia in 2020, but a poker platform has yet to launch. That may be changing, however, after the Mountain State joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) in November.
That move appears to have spurred some operators to consider bringing the state into their potential shared player pools. While a launch isn’t quite imminent, 2024 looks to be very promising, according to recent reports.
“Basically, all I can get from them is later this year,” West Virginia Lottery executive director John Myers told PlayWV.com recently. “At this time, from what I understand, they’ve had other priorities and just haven’t gotten it launched yet.”
Joining Interstate Compact Was A Big Plus
With a population of only about 1.8 million people , West Virginia didn’t offer the opportunity for a sustainable online poker market. But becoming a member of the MSIGA now offers operators some incentive to add the state’s players, especially as West Virginia online gaming continues to skew toward a younger demographic.
“Online gaming has continued to grow, and there are some reasons for that,” Myers said. “We’re seeing a younger market, 30- and 40-year-olds that play those games whereas the retail casino atmosphere, traditionally, is a little bit older.”
Currently, the MSIGA is made up of four other states – Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, and Delaware. Pennsylvania legislators also recently introduced a bill to join the group.
WSOP.com offers poker between Nevada among players in Nevada and New Jersey while PokerStars pools players in Michigan and New Jersey.
Delaware was also a part of the WSOP pool, but that changed when Rush Street Interactive took over the state’s online gaming operations in January. The company is also expected to launch an online poker product at some point. New York is also now considering legalizing online gaming, including poker.
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