idn poker states have passed legislation to allow real money online poker. These states include West Virginia, Connecticut, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. However, the law is not final and there is no guarantee of the law being changed. It could be pushed back indefinitely, especially if unexpected developments occur. Regardless of whether or not online poker is legalized in Connecticut, the next few months will be critical.
The state of Connecticut is home to a population of just over 3.5 million people. This makes it a small market for online poker. It’s not easy to get online poker started in Connecticut. The state does not have a large enough population to support a regulated online poker operation. However, if Connecticut does begin a shared liquidity agreement with other states, it could gather a bigger player pool and attract more interest. In fact, Connecticut could launch two sites at the same time and combine player pools from several states.
Connecticut could partner with tribes and sports betting companies to launch a casino and betting site. However, a casino and betting site are not likely to be launched until the fall of 2021. Online poker is not likely to be legalized in Connecticut when the shared liquidity is not in place. The current MSIGA is likely to expand to other states, which could be the starting point for future agreements.
Connecticut’s state government is still waiting for the final ruling on the Wire Act. If the Wire Act is changed, online poker could be legalized in Connecticut. However, the state’s lawmakers are not yet sure if they will support such an agreement. This could delay the target date for the first regulated casinos and betting sites to be launched. However, it’s unlikely that the Wire Act will be reinterpreted to prohibit shared liquidity.
Connecticut is still waiting for a decision from the Department of Justice regarding the interpretation of the Wire Act. It’s also unclear if the Department of Justice will pursue an appeal of the court’s decision. If the Wire Act is changed, Connecticut would be free to enter multi-state agreements, and would likely gather a larger pool of player traffic. However, this would only increase the state’s interest in online poker.
Connecticut is currently working to gain approval for its first regulated online poker operation. If the state is approved for online poker, operators may launch two sites at the same time. Connecticut may enter shared liquidity agreements with other states, and may join a multi-state poker association. It’s unclear how many states will participate in the multi-state online poker agreement. However, the states that currently participate in the MSIGA, Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, can serve as a model for future agreements.
It’s unclear whether or not the state of Massachusetts will ever legalize online poker. However, if online poker takes off in neighboring states, Massachusetts online poker may become a reality. There has been little effort put into Massachusetts online poker so far, but if Connecticut begins to gain a reputation for being an online poker state, it could be a game changer.