PokerStars Reportedly Launching Nov. 4 in Pennsylvania
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It's been more than two years since legislation cleared the way for regulated online poker to return to Pennsylvania, but nary a hand has been dealt at the virtual felt. Poker players anxiously awaiting the chance to get dealt digital cards will finally have their appetites sated soon, though, according to reports.
PlayPennsylvania reported Wednesday afternoon that PokerStars Pennsylvania will be first to market with a Nov. 4 launch.
"We have staff prepared to initiate and oversee a test launch this Monday of another online casino gaming site, this one licensed under Mount Airy Casino and their suite of casino-type games," said a state gaming rep. "At this juncture, it would include the testing of a poker game."
Mount Airy is PokerStars' land-based casino partner, so the name drop is a dead giveaway that PokerStars is the online poker room launching.
A PokerStars spokesperson confirmed the news:
“We are very excited to be bringing our most popular brands to Pennsylvania in the next week, subject to regulatory approval. Stay tuned for more details!”
Several Months Coming
While online gaming has been approved since October 2017, the first product launch didn't take place until July of this year.
Online poker was originally expected to follow the same timeline, but a lengthy regulatory process, slow development, or other reasons kept it on ice while casino products launched as expected.
Questions have lingered about the market's viability for poker considering the lukewarm climate in New Jersey and the fact that Pennsylvania hasn't committed to joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association. However, the state gaming rep quoted by PlayPennsylvania shared no such fears.
“There is no doubt there is a market out there for Pennsylvania poker players,” he said. “There is an excitement about it getting unveiled but, at this point, we are still waiting for the operators to be in a position to launch the poker games.”
Rumored Product Details
Evidently, the position will be reached on Nov. 4, when PokerStars will unveil its second U.S. product. What will that product entail?
According to an Oct. 1 report from PokerFuse, customers can expect to experience a product that's a little watered down compared to the international dot-com client.
Cash games on PokerStars PA will be spread in no-limit hold'em and Omaha, with some mixed games also available on the software. Live cash games in the state are hugely popular, with rooms like Parx supporting 40-plus tables of action, so players looking to play online will find familiar products available.
“There is no doubt there is a market out there for Pennsylvania poker players.”
What they won't find is any Zoom or heads-up action. While the latter has been largely phased out of most online poker clients in 2019, the former has gained in popularity over the past several years. Whether due to a regulatory roadblock or PokerStars being unsure the market can support the product, the fast-fold Zoom game isn't expected to be offered initially.
Tournament players will get a more comprehensive list of options, closely reflecting the ones available on most online poker clients nowadays. For instance, they'll have progressive knockouts, hyper-turbos, a full slate of sit-n-go options with buy-ins up to $500, and plenty of five-figure tournament guarantees. Sunday majors with buy-ins of $250 and $100 appear to be on the docket.
However, spin & gos may not be available from jump street, if PokerFuse's early October reporting remains current. They reported that spin & gos, once thought to be available up to $25 buy-in, have likely not been cleared by the Gaming Control Board as there was no corresponding tab in the early leaked screenshots.
The Stars Group owns a majority shareholding in iBus Media.
