The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) recently approved 888poker. Even before this news settles, a WSOP.com liftoff in the Keystone State looked very close. It appears even closer now with the recent unveiling of a number of online pages associated with WSPO.com, Pennsylvania.
It is no secret that WSPO.com is in partnership with 888poker to add its software to the U.S. market. The most recent PA virtual additions include co-branding with Harrah’s Philadelphia, the WSOP.com’s partner casino.
Many poker players in Pennsylvania have been enthusiastically waiting for another great poker option, which seems close now. PokerStars entered Pennsylvania in November last year, but there should be an alternative available for players. Early reports indicated that the launch is set soon before the end of this year, but new information points to a later launch in 2021.
What Players Should Expect From the WSPO.com PA
Players in Pennsylvania, unlike those in Nevada and New Jersey, will be welcoming in a “ringed-in” WSOP.com poker market. This means that poker players will only have the option of battling against others within Keystone State. The approval of interest compacts is still pending due to several issues that still surround the Wire Act.
The Department of Justice argues that the Wire Act applies to the other kinds of online gaming outside the sports boundary. The Department of Justice (DOJ) lost the case in court, but it appealed, and it’s expected that the ruling will be delivered soon. Whatever the outcome, there will be major implications on state’s iGaming beyond poker. A positive ruling in the pending appeal court case could provide additional opportunities for the slowly-growing online market.
This is the same environment that PokerStars has been operating in since its entry in the U.S., and it has realized some success. The entry of WSOP is a move in the right direction as it adds considerable momentum to the market of online poker in the country. While poker revenues have noticeably declined in the last few months, the numbers for 2020 are way up.
More Details on WSOP.com PA to Come Soon
WSOP.com is an online branch of the well-known World Series of Poker. It is operated solely by Caesars Interactive Entertainment. Even though the launch date has not been announced until now, PGCB has already given Caesars approval.
The company is already in the Keystone State, operating online casino gaming. Now, with 888poker also set to receive approval soon, a poker launch in PA seemed inevitable.
WSOP.com, in its most recent online branding, has detailed all the terminologies surrounding their new PA website. Also launched by the operator are information pages and some bonuses as they get ready to enter into the Pennsylvania market.
WSOP.com is now present in three American States, making it the market leader. It is has adopted new branding as the “All American Poker Network.”
888poker also operates an online poker platform in New Jersey. That platform and 888’s Delaware online poker site shares player pools with New Jersey and Nevada. It is still not clear if 888 is also planning to run a poker skin in Pennsylvania.
