The Governors of Nevada and Delaware have endorsed a poker-only interstate compact that will allow online players from each state to compete against each other.
History was made at Wilmington in Delaware when Governors Brian Sandoval (Nevada) and Jack Markell (Delaware) signed off on an agreement that will see the two States share a player database for online poker.
Interstate compacts have been talked about since online poker was first regulated in Nevada, and it is hoped that this first agreement will expand traffic on the poker sites launched in the two States to date – all of which have struggled to attract the numbers that were suggested prior to regulation.
No Set Date for the Combining of Player Pools
No date has yet been fixed for the combining of player pools, but Governor Markell said he was keen to start working with technology partners – he said it is in everybody´s interest to push this as quickly as we can
and added by combining player pools we will be able to make our online poker offerings more diverse, more competitive and more enjoyable
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Governor Sandoval chipped in by saying because of this agreement Nevada online gaming patrons will have access to a broader selection of poker games and tournaments and will be able to participate in a fair and reasonably-regulated gaming market,
and he explained how players will be able to log in to their local poker sites and see players located in both States.
Watch Out Nevada – Here Come the Delaware 16!
The three online poker sites currently hosting real money online poker in Nevada (WSOP.com, Ultimate Poker and [geolink href=”https://www.usafriendlypokersites.com/real-gaming-becomes-third-online-poker-site-nevada/”]Real Gaming[/geolink]) have a seven-day average of around 160 players at their cash game tables.
In Delaware, three sites also provide real money online poker – Delaware Park, Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway – but the average of their combined player pools totals just 16. It looks like online poker players in Delaware are going to be the big winners with this agreement!
And What about New Jersey?
New Jersey was the third State to regulate on online poker, but there is no news yet about whether they will join the Nevada/Delaware agreement. When Governor Sandoval was asked about a potential partnership with the Garden State, he replied that he had discussed the matter and said We’d love to have New Jersey as a partner as well
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New Jersey would be by far the biggest partner in a tri-state compact, having generated $8.4 million in revenue from online poker in its first six weeks of operation, but most observers believe that the likelihood of New Jersey joining any partnership is doubtful – unless California are involved.
So, What´s Happening in California?
Meanwhile in California, two bills were introduced at the eleventh hour for consideration during 2014. The first – SB 1366 – is a re-introduction of SB 678 which failed to pass last year because of squabbling between Indian Tribes, who wanted a bigger slice of the action. The bill also included a bad actor clause, which would prohibit PokerStars from getting a foot in the door, and some pretty steep taxation clauses.
The second proposed bill – AB 2291 – is similar to what has already been established in New Jersey with compromise solutions offered for the tribes. Introduced by Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, the bill proposes a framework to establish intrastate online poker and opt out of any future federal Internet gaming law, which would isolate it from the rest of the US and eliminate any chance of future interstate compacts.
At least they are talking about it!
