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The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved the state’s first three online gambling licenses this week. It’s a move that sets up what looks to be a three-horse race for online poker dominance in Pennsylvania.

The board approved licenses to operate online slots, online table games, and online poker for:

• Parx Casino in Bensalem
• Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester
• Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono

Online casino products aside, these three PA casinos are now poised to begin a battle for PA online poker prominence.

Parx Casino PA online poker

Parx Casino runs the largest and highest grossing poker room in the state, giving it an inherent advantage in this race from the start. It also hosts the most popular poker tournament series in the state. Leveraging all that success by running cross promotions and a robust online satellite series for its Parx Big Stax series five times annually could make its online poker room the state’s most popular all on its own.

If there’s one thing holding it back, it’s Parx online gambling software supplier: GAN. GAN hasn’t really been a part of the online poker software industry before now. So, there’s no telling what its online poker software will look like. Parx may still look elsewhere for an online poker software partner. Unless it believes it can buck industry trends which have always proven that great software is the key to success.

Mount Airy Casino Resort PA online poker

PokerStars grew to become the top online poker site in the planet on the back of the best software in the industry. It will launch a PokerStars PA site with partner Mount Airy Casino Resort, a move that gives Mount Airy a real opportunity to have the state’s top online poker room despite the casino’s remote locale and lack of poker-related name recognition.

In fact, if great software really is the key to success in any online poker market, the other players in PA are going to have a tough time competing with Mount Airy and PokerStars.

Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack PA online poker

Of course, the Caesars Entertainment World Series of Poker-branded online poker site has been giving PokerStars a run for its money in New Jersey of late. Not because of the 888 Poker software it runs on, but because of the fact it is the only site with partners in Nevada and Delaware, giving it the opportunity to take advantage of a recently signed agreement allowing online poker sites to share player pools in those three states.

Bigger player pools mean bigger tournament prize pools and more cash game action. Two of the only things that truly drive traffic in the online poker industry.

Since Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack is a Caesars Entertainment property, it will most likely launch a World Series of Poker-branded online poker site of its own in PA.

However, all signs point to PA waiting at least a year before it signs on to the multi-state agreement. That means the PA WSOP.com site will ultimately compete for the top spot among PA online poker rooms. However, it probably won’t be doing so right away.

SugarHouse and Rivers PA online poker

Six other casino license holders have applied for licenses to operate online casinos and online poker rooms. Therefore, others may still surprise everyone and steal the state’s online poker crown.

Rush Street Gaming and its SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia and Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh have made significant investments in live poker recently. Most involve leveraging the popularity of its Poker Night in America TV show. Rush Street’s true PA online poker intentions remain unclear. However, SugarHouse and Rivers are the state’s two most populated cities. Meaning they will be playing to a larger audience from a cross-promotional perspective. Something that will likely help them compete with PA online poker’s big three.

That said, Parx, Harrah’s, and Mount Airy are more than just the first to get Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approval. They are the clear favorites to lead the state’s budding online poker industry from the get-go, in what will likely be a heated battle.

The post The Three-Horse Race For PA Online Poker Dominance appeared first on .

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) is now officially part of the Pennsylvania gambling landscape. And soon, through its approved acquisition of Presque Isle Downs & Casino, CDI will offer online gambling.

As part of its Wednesday meeting, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) approved the transfer of Presque Isle’s Category 1 Slot Machine License from previous owner Eldorado Resorts to CDI. Under the terms, CDI will pay a $3.75 million transfer fee.

The most noteworthy news: CDI applied for licenses to offer online slots and online table games, running the new owner a combined $8 million. The Louisville-based racing, gaming, and online entertainment company is choosing not to pursue online poker.

CDI makes quick work to enter market

On Monday, CDI announced that the company was in the process of finalizing the acquisition of Presque Isle. Though that deal was reliant upon another Eldorado property.

With the PGCB approving the casino’s license transfer to CDI, it also implies that the Louisville company has officially agreed to “assume management” of Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin, which will still be owned by Eldorado.

Now with Presque Isle in its portfolio, CDI has casino interests in seven eastern states. In Pennsylvania, though, it is about more than just casino ownership.

Despite staying away from online poker, CDI applied for licenses to offer online slots and online table games. Each license will cost the new owners $4 million. Down the road, CDI could also dive into another PA gambling market.

Sports betting on tap?

Online gambling is certainly a go for CDI and Presque Isle. The new ownership group has long been interested in entering the regulated sports betting industry.

In May, CDI parntered with SBTech to build an iGaming platform “consisting of the consumer website, mobile apps, and back-office systems to manage iGaming and sports wagering.”

As part of the announcement, SBTech CEO Richard Carter said the “combination of Churchill’s leading presence in the U.S. market, coupled with SBTech’s deep expertise in regulated sports betting markets globally, makes for an ideal partnership as we enter this monumental chapter in the U.S. gaming industry.”

During Wednesday’s PGCB meeting, however, CDI hedged a bit when it comes to PA sports betting.

“We’re very interested,” a representative said, “but have some concerns.”

PGCB still sorting out regulations

By no means is Churchill Downs the first to have such a response. Consider that, as of July, there were no applicants for sports betting licenses. Concerns surround the $10 million licensing fee as well as the 36 percent tax on sports betting revenue.

Some properties might be waiting for the PGCB to adopt permanent regulations. (Though Parx Casino did make steps toward building a sports betting operation after partnering with GAN late last month.) Though, after the PGCB meeting adjourned, the board did release a new set of temporary regulations on Tuesday. That gives casinos a better idea of how the industry will operate.

However, unless there are drastic changes to the fees and taxes — not to mention the restrictions to online skins (none) — it may not be considered a sound investment to enter the sports betting industry in the Keystone State.

The post Churchill Downs Pulls The Trigger On Presque Isle Online Gambling appeared first on Play Pennsylvania.

The Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open continued its annual tradition of hosting one of the busiest days of the year. In a partnership with Poker Night in America, Seminole Hard Rock produced the Big 4 final tables on Aug. 14.

Four final tables of varying buy-in levels played out simultaneously in the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Fla. On the Poker Night in America channel on Twitch, viewers had the option of watching one final table at a time, or all four together.

The $25,500 High Roller, $1,100, $2,650, and $5,250 Championship featured phenomenal final table lineups and the action did not disappoint.

Back to back with a vengeance

Two players entered the Big 4 in search of some history to go along with potential hardware. Alex Foxen collected the $2,650 title in 2017 and started this year’s edition as the chip leader at the final table. Meanwhile, adjacent to Foxen sat Marc MacDonnell, who took home the bronze medal in the $1,100 event last year and was in position to go back-to-back in 2018.

Foxen topped 395 entrants to win $204,600 in 2017 and had to beat 422 this time around. Blair Hinkle and Foxen traded heads up blows for about five hours before Foxen emerged with the win. Hinkle won the first SHRPO Championship in 2013 for $1.7 million.

The final table lacked soft spots all-around as Jake Schwartz, Rick Alvarado, and Michael Esposito stood in Foxen’s way.

MacDonnell defeated 2018 World Series of Poker bracelet winner Joey Couden heads up to win the title in the $1,100 event for $119,465. A total of 640 entrants played to a final table in one day and MacDonnell started the day in seventh place out of eight competitors.

A double-up with ace-king against the pocket sevens of Couden midway through the final table action propelled MacDonnell to victory. Other notable players who reached the final table were Maria Ho, Michael Graffeo, and Paul Balzano.

Another High Roller win for Jake Schindler

The most consistent American player in $25,000 buy-in events struck gold again in Florida. Jake Schindler’s career is more impressive with every month and he added $800,758 to his over $20 million in earnings.

Schindler conquered Shaun Deeb heads up to wear the SHRPO High Roller crown. Deeb entered the final table as the chip leader and lost in a scenario many other opponents have done so before him, heads up to Schindler.

Tom Marchese (3rd), 2015 SHRPO Championship winner Omar Zazay (4th), Barry Hutter (6th), and Paul Hofer (8th) all made the final table but fell shy of their ultimate goal.

The win is Schindler’s 11th in an event with a $25,000 buy-in during his career.

SHRPO Championship goes to Brandon Eisen

The crown jewel of the SHRPO series blew away the $3 million guarantee. A total of 914 entrants generated $4.432 million in the prize pool.

Brandon Eisen emerged with the lion’s share of the total. Eisen had the chip lead when the final table began and he took down the $771,444 first-place prize in a lengthy heads up duel versus Jeremy Ausmus.

Ausmus and Eisen competed for 83 hands before Eisen took the final chips away from the 2012 November Niner. The $540,459 consolation prize is the largest score earned by Ausmus since his Main Event final table fifth-place finish.

The final table included Ryan D’Angelo, WPT Gardens Poker Festival final tablist Jared Griener, and Joseph Cheong.

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