Online poker players in Pennsylvania rejoiced yesterday as the online poker site from PokerStars is now in its testing phase. The site was able to open the doors to players in the state yesterday and once the testing process is completed and approvals given, the brand will be fully operational.
Soft Launch Life
Just after 2pm ET yesterday, PokerStars PA was live, beginning their soft launch. They were provided the go-ahead by the Gaming Control Board last week and wasted no time in beginning testing. It is expected that this phase will last for two days. During this time frame, players in Pennsylvania will have limited access to games.
Yesterday, the site was only open from 2pm until 10pm. Today, the site will be live a little longer, from 2pm until 12am. A full launch is expected for November 6th.
A PokerStars Rep spoke to the media earlier this week, stating that Pennsylvania has been anxiously awaiting the online poker launch, with players having stated so via social media and forums. The company is proud to offer three forms of media in the state, with the online poker room, online casino and FOX Bet. The company considers it a great honor to be the first to launch online poker in the state and intend to make it count.
Looking Ahead
PokerStars is already looking ahead to full service gaming, with the site providing freerolls starting later in the week. From November 7th until the 16th, the site will offer Daily $1,000 Welcome Freerolls. A $20,000 Welcome Freeroll is on the books for November 17th. According to the online poker brand, this is just the beginning of what they plan to offer players. The company plans on providing live and online tournament updates and a unique online gaming experience for players in the state.
Players in Pennsylvania can download the gaming software via desktop or mobile device. The company has apps for both Android and iOS devices. The process takes just a few minutes and once signed up, players can begin enjoying real money online poker gaming.
The game offerings in PA are similar to what is provided via the New Jersey site. However, players in Pennsylvania will not have access to Spin & Go games just yet. Players can access several No Limit Hold’em and Omaha cash tables, with limits starting at $0.01/$0.02. Sit n Gos are also on offer right now with 6-max and heads up tables provided. The buy-ins of the SNGs range from $1 to $500.
We shall see later on this week if PokerStars is approved to move forward with full-service operations. There is no doubt the brand will be approved. By December into January, we should see the full impact of the online poker site and how players take to the new offering. Many are wondering just how successful online poker will be in the state because it has yet to truly take off like online casino gaming has in other states.
