{"id":32679,"date":"2020-02-10T09:00:32","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T10:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/?p=32679"},"modified":"2020-02-10T14:15:00","modified_gmt":"2020-02-10T14:15:00","slug":"on-the-plus-side-borgatas-katie-stone-talks-online-poker-industry-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/on-the-plus-side-borgatas-katie-stone-talks-online-poker-industry-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Plus Side: Borgata\u2019s Katie Stone Talks Online Poker, Industry Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"
With a new year and some additional states legalizing online poker<\/strong><\/a>, Borgata<\/strong> ambassador Katie Stone<\/strong> is optimistic. Along with state-by-state progress, some industry growth and marketing efforts give her hope for good things to come.<\/p>\n With the industry seeing its first chance at growth in years, Stone spoke with USPoker<\/i> recently about the industry. That included some interesting developments with the debut of the East Coast Poker Tour<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A regular New Jersey grinder<\/strong><\/a> and representative of one of the biggest live poker operators in the Northeast<\/strong>, Stone knows the market first-hand. At the tables, she has $177,000<\/strong> in live tournament winnings but focuses much of her time online.<\/p>\n Married to poker player Joe Cappuccio<\/strong>, the couple has a 3-year-old son and they play full time. Pennsylvania<\/strong><\/a> recently became the fourth state offering legal online poker in the U.S. along with the New Jersey, Nevada<\/strong><\/a>, and Delaware<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Michigan<\/strong><\/a> and West Virginia<\/strong> have also approved online gaming, including poker. The continuing growth can only be a good thing, Stone says.<\/p>\n \u201cI am very encouraged by what I see in the online poker landscape and the things that I\u2019m hearing,\u201d she says. \u201cI don\u2019t know anything specific about which states are up next or shared liquidity or anything like that.<\/p>\n \u201cBut just from what I\u2019m seeing I just think that things are going to work out just a little bit better than everybody\u2019s thinking.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Stone noted that MGM<\/strong> recently launched the East Coast Poker Tour and that could help with online poker as well. The tour features events at Borgata, MGM National Harbor<\/strong> in Maryland, and MGM Springfield<\/strong> in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n The events offer players some mid-range buy-ins and online qualifiers will be available at BorgataPoker.com<\/strong><\/a>. She believes that effort could attract newer and recreational players<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited,\u201d she said. \u201cI think Borgata and MGM are going to be a bright light in the online poker industry.\u201d<\/p>\n Those efforts include qualifiers for these mid-range buy-in<\/strong> events for as low as $10<\/strong>. Stone also believes there will be more tie-ins down the line with the property as well. That could include qualifiers even for the events outside of New Jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something that I hope to use when it comes to satelliting players into these other live events,\u201d Stone says of the qualifier focus. \u201cKeep the initial buy-in really low, and the target tournament a little bit low \u2013\u00a0because you\u2019re really pushing as many people into those events as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cIdeally, I\u2019d like to just have ongoing $10 satellites in to these $200<\/strong>, $300<\/strong>, $400<\/strong> events. Because that\u2019s really the people who make up the bulk of the poker ecosystem<\/strong> \u2013\u00a0in the low- to mid-range buy-ins. You need to support these players and give them shots. And you do that by offering satellites into good events.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The synergy that the Borgata has developed, including its partnership with partypoker<\/strong><\/a>, gives Borgata a unique spot in the market.<\/p>\n The property runs several major live series throughout the year and helps foster a poker culture<\/strong> in the state. Stone believes that pays dividends in a live and online poker setting.<\/p>\n In an industry that needs more players entering the game to stay vital, she likes the efforts being made.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited,\u201d she said. \u201cWith Borgata and MGM \u2026 it\u2019s just different. You have the WPT<\/strong>, and then you have partypoker, and then you MGM \u2013 there\u2019s just so much going on.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cEverybody\u2019s doing really cool things. I\u2019m very much liking the direction of where everybody\u2019s going.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In December<\/strong>, Pennsylvania saw record online gaming numbers\u00a0with revenue of $10.6 million<\/strong>, a 10 percent increase<\/strong> over November<\/strong>. Some of that can be attributed PokerStars<\/strong><\/a> entering the market through its partnership with Mount Airy<\/strong> casino.<\/p>\n Online poker produced $2.47 million<\/strong> in revenue, an increase of 26 percent<\/strong> from November \u2013 a month in which PokerStars only launched several days into the month in a beta mode.<\/p>\n Those numbers show Pennsylvanians have been open to online poker and giving it a shot. It\u2019s also important to note that the state is not part of a shared liquidity pool with New Jersey as the legal debate over the Wire Act continues.<\/p>\n Speaking of New Jersey, December brought some mixed results in the Garden State. The good news was that online poker earning $1.7 million<\/strong> \u2013\u00a0more than a 16 percent increase<\/strong> from November. Poker is still down year over year however.<\/p>\n That December mark does make the first month-over-month growth<\/a> in five months, according to PlayNJ.com. <\/i>Stone is optimistic and believes a growing live scene at Borgata and other MGM properties make it a leader. She\u2019s hoping that New Jersey growth continues.<\/p>\n The positive news may grow even more in the coming year. Three other states have introduced legislation legalizing online poker \u2013\u00a0New York<\/strong><\/a>, Nebraska<\/strong>, and Kentucky<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Adding more states, especially a populous one like the Empire State, could be a boon to the industry with more possibly getting on board. And in Pennsylvania, it\u2019s believed WSOP.com<\/strong><\/a> and partypoker are both in the licensing process to launch in the state.<\/p>\n There certainly hasn\u2019t been the speed of poker legalization that sports betting has seen. But that industry\u2019s success seems to have spilled over to online poker. Players are hoping the pot continues to grow \u2013\u00a0and soon.<\/p>\nGarden State online poker and beyond<\/span><\/h2>\n
Borgata and MGM\u2019s role in online poker expansion<\/span><\/h2>\n
Growing the poker ecosystem<\/span><\/h2>\n
Pennsylvania and New Jersey produce nice December numbers<\/span><\/h2>\n
More states getting on board?<\/span><\/h2>\n