Pennsylvania is set to be added to the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) in what is fantastic news for poker players across the US.
The move will allow millions more players to join the shared liquidity pool at real money US poker sites, as the poker community gradually edges back to online access not seen since before Black Friday.
The addition of Pennsylvania would open the door to a massive 13 million people, increasing the current pool by around 50%.
Currently, five states have joined the MSIGA. Here’s how things stand:
| State | MSIGA Member | Online Gaming Operator | Population |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | 3.2 million |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes | 9.3 million |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes | 10 million |
| West Virginia | Yes | No | 1.8 million |
| Delaware | Yes | No | 1 million |
| Pennsylvania | No | Yes | 13 million |
What is the MSIGA?
The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, or MSIGA, allows multiple US states to come together and pool their players, rather than operating on a state-by-state basis. The last state to join was West Virginia, in late 2023.
The biggest advantage of this is the number of players at the online poker rooms in these states. Instead of being limited to just local players, those in MSIGA states can join millions of others across the country.
This increases liquidity, adding more players to cash game tables and helping to ensure there’s always a game running.
It’s also excellent for large-scale tournaments and series. With a higher number of potential players, poker rooms are more willing to run big-money guarantees without the fear of an overlay.
In a nutshell, the MSIGA is great news for the poker ecosystem – and a welcome shot in the arm after the Curacao iGaming scandal.
Pennsylvania to Join by Early 2025
The early indications are that Pennsylvania could be ready to shuffle up and deal as soon as Q1 or early Q2 of 2025 – but there are no guarantees.
Developments with online gambling legislation can be slow and run into unexpected issues. For example, George Dunbar, one of the sponsors of the move, had previously predicted it would be wrapped up by the end of 2024, which has obviously not worked out.
Before a state can join the MSIGA, the existing member states need to review the paperwork and make any amendments. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro then had to sign off. After that, the poker rooms which want to merge player pools each need regulatory approval.
Each time a new state joins, the list of approvals increases, which means it is likely to be a slightly longer process than before.
Luckily, players in Pennsylvania can already access legal online poker, giving them a few months to brush up on their game before the big tournaments – hopefully – start rolling in.