The official release date is still unclear
“We are pleased to welcome PokerStars as the first and currently only online poker option for players in Pennsylvania,” said a recent statement from TSG Chairman Matt Primeaux. In cooperation with the Mount Airy Casino based in Woodland, PokerStars will now operate the first legal online poker room in the state of Pennsylvania, which has a population of over 12 million. However, the project is currently still in the pilot phase; a so-called soft launch is used to check all technical applications. The results will be used to determine when exactly the website will be officially established.
The new poker platform was first launched on November 4th under the domain PokerStarsmtairycasino.com. Started at 2 p.m. And will go live again and again in the coming days, initially at certain intervals. If there are no incidents, the system should be transferred to a permanent test phase by the end of the week at the latest. The activation is tied to a number of regulatory conditions by the local gaming authority PGCB (Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board). At the beginning, according to authority spokesman Douglas Harbach, they want to “closely monitor” the project. The quote says:
"We have staff prepared to oversee the testing launch of the online gaming site licensed by Mount Airy Casino. This will include testing of a poker room. One caveat is that if problems arise, the launch of the site may be delayed."
Pennsylvania leads the way
In addition to New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware, Pennsylvania becomes the fourth state with legal online poker offerings. Since the PASPA repeal in November 2018, which accompanied the lifting of the US-wide sports betting ban, the regulation of online gambling has been the responsibility of the individual states. In this context, Pennsylvania has already legalized online sports betting, online casinos and now also online poker, giving the country a pioneering position in the US market, which is estimated to be worth billions.
TSG is already present on the market in all three areas. “We are proud that we are currently the only online provider that is allowed to offer all three forms of regulated gambling in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” said Primeaux, referring to the development. TSG products are now available for all web and mobile devices, including iOS and Android. PokerStars is the only regulated online poker site in Pennsylvania. The state could definitely benefit from this, as more than 200 billion hands have been played via the portal worldwide since it was founded in 2001.
What can players expect?
As part of the soft launch, players will not be able to enjoy the full variety of games; as already indicated, the timing of the full rollout is not yet known. What is clear, however, is that players are already being offered the Omaha, No-Limit Hold'em and Razz variants in the test run. In addition, any Sit & Goes and multi-table tournaments are already scheduled to take place. However, the PokerStars speed format “Zoom” will not be available for the time being.
Although the program is not yet complete, the move is already being welcomed by the local poker community, with one Pennsylvania-based player commenting to the news site Pokernews:
"PokerStars is finally available in my hometown and I couldn't be more excited. The players in Pennsylvania have been looking forward to this day, I can't wait to get in on all the action. I hope to see many of you at the table!"
In this context, PokerStars points out that the creation of the entire range has not yet been completed: According to press reports, they are planning to introduce a series of “tailor-made” variants that have been “developed specifically for the market”. The main aim is to react flexibly to the demands of individual players. Anyone who is familiar with the common PokerStars range will therefore notice “many similarities” and “some significant differences” in the offer for Pennsylvania.
Requirements for participation
Although the enjoyment of the online poker option is only legitimateigt, participation in the game is subject to various regulatory conditions: To play at PokerStars in Pennsylvania, customers must be 21 years of age or older and physically located within the borders of Pennsylvania. Residency is not a requirement, but players must have a valid Social Security number in Pennsylvania to play with real money there.
A PokerStars account located in another US state cannot be used to participate. The deposit options are also specified, including PayPal, Visa/MasterCard, Echecks, PayNearMe and Stars Transfer.
Will US-wide legalization follow?
Along with sports betting, poker is one of the most popular leisure activities among US citizens. Legalization has also been discussed in other countries since the sports betting ban was lifted. The US presidential candidate Andrew Yang (Democratic Party) is currently in favor of the nationwide legalization of online poker. The original Taiwanese politician sees legalization as having advantages for players and providers.
Even if Yang's victory against Donald Trump in the upcoming 2020 election is unlikely, the politician is raising an important issue. The poker scene supports the project. Further developments remain to be seen at this point.
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