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Pennsylvania Online Poker Nears Shared Liquidity After Years of Waiting

Pennsylvania Online Poker Nears Shared Liquidity After Years of Waiting
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Iva Dozet News Editor
  • Fact Checked by: PokerListings
  • Last updated on: April 14, 2025 · 3 minutes to read

After years of anticipation, it looks like the wait is nearly over for Pennsylvania online poker players hoping to join larger player pools. According to multiple confirmations from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), the state is finally on the verge of joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) — and we’re not talking months away. We’re talking weeks.

PGCB spokesperson Douglas Harbach told several outlets that operators should be ready to go live with shared liquidity offerings “within the next couple of weeks.” Final sign-off from Governor Josh Shapiro is still pending, but from the sound of it, Pennsylvania is already laying the groundwork behind the scenes.

This move has been a long time coming. Pennsylvania legalized online poker back in 2017 and launched platforms like PokerStars and WSOP in 2019. But unlike New Jersey, Michigan, and Nevada — three states already linked through MSIGA — Pennsylvania has kept its players fenced off in a separate pool ever since. That isolation could finally end in a matter of days.

So, let’s unpack this.

How We Got Here

Pennsylvania’s delayed entry into shared liquidity wasn’t for lack of interest. The state was exploring interstate poker agreements from the start, but legal roadblocks, particularly a confusing reinterpretation of the Wire Act, put everything on pause.

As other states clarified their positions and moved forward — Michigan and West Virginia both joined MSIGA — Pennsylvania remained on the sidelines. Even when Governor Shapiro took office, little changed.

That started to shift in early 2024. A fresh push came from former state representative George Dunbar, who introduced a bill supporting MSIGA and was later appointed to the PGCB.

By the end of last year, the message seemed to land. The Governor directed the PGCB to move ahead with MSIGA membership, and now, with technical work underway and operator cooperation in place, shared liquidity looks set to launch imminently.

What Shared Liquidity Means for Pennsylvania Online Poker

For players, this is a game-changer — literally. Shared liquidity means Pennsylvania’s player pools will be merged with those in Michigan, New Jersey, and possibly Nevada. That opens the door to:

  • Bigger tournament prize pools
  • More consistent traffic
  • A wider variety of cash games
  • Shorter wait times to get games running

Instead of playing in a smaller, state-only market, Pennsylvanians could soon find themselves at tables with opponents across multiple states. It’s a big step toward a more competitive, vibrant online poker scene.

Who’s Likely to Go Live First?

The PGCB hasn’t officially named which operators will be first to flip the switch, but based on past moves, there are some clear frontrunners.

PokerStars PA is the most likely candidate to lead the rollout. It already merged Michigan and New Jersey into a shared network and even did a major server upgrade in January — possibly laying the foundation for Pennsylvania’s integration into a tri-state (or more) network.

WSOP PA is another strong contender. Its software is already aligned across multiple states, and adding Pennsylvania to its existing NJ-NV setup could be a relatively seamless process.

PokerStars Pennsylvania Online Poker

BetMGM Poker could follow soon after. The brand merged its Michigan and New Jersey platforms last year and may be eyeing Pennsylvania as the next piece of the puzzle — though some believe it might wait to launch in Nevada before completing its shared liquidity ambitions.

BetRivers Poker, the newest arrival in the Pennsylvania market, may take a bit longer. While it’s currently only live in PA, BetRivers is planning to expand into other MSIGA states, including New Jersey and Michigan. A full multi-state rollout may be on the cards by summer.

So, When Is This Happening?

While there’s no hard launch date, all signs point to the end of April or early May. That depends on the Governor’s final approval and each operator’s technical readiness, but the groundwork is already being laid.

For Pennsylvania online poker players, it’s been a long time coming — but the promise of shared liquidity is finally about to be fulfilled. The next time you register for a tournament, don’t be surprised if the player list includes names from Michigan, New Jersey, or Nevada. The pool is about to get a whole lot deeper.

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