888Poker Keen On Prioritizing Pennsylvania & Michigan Launch In 2021
The upcoming summer could pave the way for poker players in Pennsylvania to compete for the highly-coveted World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelets from the comfort of their own homes.
That’s because 888, which powers the WSOP.com platform, is aiming to enter Pennsylvania and potentially Michigan in 2021.
The company has big plans for the year, which also include launching its brand-new “Poker 8” app.
Yaniv Sherman, SVP and Head of US at 888 Holdings said the company is giving high priority to the launch of WSOP.com in Pennsylvania which could happen just in time for the 2021 WSOP Summer festival. The company currently runs its own 888 online poker site in New Jersey, while at the same time also provides the software platform for both WSOP.com NJ and WSOP.com Nevada.
Sherman said their entrance into Pennsylvania’s regulated online poker market will be complemented by the rollout of their new Poker 8 software update, which will power WSOP.com.
Poker 8 represents the latest major software overhaul from 888, introducing significant improvements to both its desktop and mobile offerings. After launching Poker 8 in PA, Sherman said a phased rollout of the platform across other US markets will come next. Poker 8 was first deployed in Europe in October 2020.
Michigan Launch and Expanded Shared Liquidity in 2021
888poker also plans on entering Michigan, the latest state to legalize online poker. Virtual cards have been dealt in the Wolverine State since January 29, 2021, with PokerStars becoming the first online poker operator to launch there.
Sherman said licensing discussions are already ongoing in Michigan, and once the state gives its final position on shared liquidity, they’ll take their next steps and hopefully go live there as soon as possible.
Sherman is optimistic that the latest developments in relation to the Wire Act case will speed things up for online poker in the US. The industry has enjoyed another victory in the ongoing battle after the latest ruling went in favor of the 2011 opinion, concluding that the law only applies to interstate sports betting.
According to Sherman, this will likely pave the way for state regulators to hold talks on shared liquidity, which could potentially lead to an expanded shared liquidity network in 2021 which will be a win for both the industry and all poker players and fans in the country.
