Online poker players from Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware will be able to sit side by side at the virtual tables and enjoy larger prize pools and more competition from May 1. Poker brands WSOP and 888Poker have revealed historic plans to kick off shared online poker player pools between the three states, which would also result in an expansion of tournament offerings and better selection of games.
On Monday, April 16, the Associated Press reported that Caesars Interactive Entertainment was debuting shared poker liquidity through its World Series of Poker (WSOP) brand and its online partner 888Poker. The interstate poker network is set to go live on May 1 and is seen as a game changer by industry experts as it would link poker enthusiasts from three states for the first time in American regulated online poker. Several years ago, Nevada and Delaware began sharing their player pools after creating the Multi-State Internet Gaming Alliance. In October 2017, New Jersey announced it joined the shared liquidity agreement.
Caesars Interactive Entertainment, a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation, has submitted its new software for testing and is now expecting approval from the regulators in the three states. The new Poker Client, which is likely to be approved by regulatory bodies, will need to be downloaded by customers in Nevada and Delaware. The current WSOP Nevada platform will become inoperative, as will the three Delaware poker sites – Delaware Park, Harrington Raceway, and Dover Downs. All four websites are skins of 888Poker. Players with existing accounts will need to create new ones, but the company says that their funds would be preserved and moved to the new user accounts.
Huge Success for Caesars Interactive Entertainment
The only online poker platform approved for real-money games in all three states is WSOP and it is powered by 888Poker, owned by the Gibraltar-based 888 Holdings plc. Launched back in 1970, the World Series of Poker is undoubtedly the most famous and most prestigious series of poker tournaments. After being televised for decades, it went online in 2009 after Harrah’s (one of the many Caesars Entertainment brands) signed an agreement with Dragonfish, the business-to-business arm of 888 Holdings, to provide its online gaming services.
WSOP online tournaments started in the UK but then, they spread and eventually came at Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey. Now, the new shared liquidity agreement and the new poker software will make it possible for players from the three states to play online poker against each other. It will pool online poker players but it will also increase the size of the prize pools. According to Caesars Entertainment, the only thing New Jersey players need to do is a simple software update.
They will not need to download a new Poker Client or register a new account in order to take part in four online bracelet events this year. These include $365 No-Limit Hold’em on June 3, $565 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed on June 22, $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em on June 29, and $3,200 High Roller on June 30. All events start at 3:30 p.m. Nevada customers, on the other hand, will need to wait at least a few days until the new WSOP registration process starts. They can sign up for pre-registration, however, so they can access their “new” accounts as soon as possible. All their funds, loyalty points and tournament tickets will be transferred, but they will still be able to enjoy all bonuses and perks designed for new players. As online bracelet events are exclusive to the WSOP website, they will not be available to Delaware poker players.
