Online poker legalisation in Pennsylvania would boost NJ’s industry

If Pennsylvania approves online poker and teams up with New Jersey it will draw a reinforcing pool of out-of-state players to the Garden State’s online games.

US.- Pennsylvania Legislature recently passed a budget that estimates US$100 million in revenue from online gambling on poker and casino-style games in the first year of operation. At this point, a bill to legalize online gambling that already has passed in the state House of Representatives and it may be approved by the Senate this fall. If this bill passes the Senate, New Jersey regulators and a leading industry lobbyist believe there is a strong possibility for a lucrative partnership between the neighbouring states.

New Jersey’s online poker franchise has performed below initial expectations in its first three years, failing to attract as many resident players as needed and even being overshadowed by the growth of other online games.

Allowing Pennsylvania players to compete across state lines with players from NJ, would greatly expand “liquidity,” the critical mass of players needed to make it easier for those at all skill and stakes levels to find others to compete against. It is worth clarifying that online casino gambling sites use geolocation technology to pinpoint a player’s location, barring anyone beyond state lines.

David Rebuck, executive director of New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, said there is an ongoing dialogue among regulators in Trenton and Pennsylvania to reach an arrangement for online poker players. According to Rebuck, division officials have told their counterparts in Pennsylvania that a poker compact would help their online poker revenues grow much more quickly than if the state goes it alone.

“We just need a few more states to fall by the wayside [and legalize online gambling] for the ball to really get rolling,” Rebuck said. “Pennsylvania probably is the next state to go, and that will be an interesting time for us.”