PokerStars sets official launch date for liquidity merge in MI and NJ

PokerStars is now officially set to merge the poker operations in Michigan and New Jersey and create a shared liquidity network that will allow players to compete for bigger prize pools, participate in more worthwhile cash games, and generally have access to a better overall online poker experience.

This comes after PokerStars put some of its products in Michigan and New Jersey on maintenance for several days earlier in December. At the time, PokerStars said that it was preparing to merge operations and had to temporarily put its services on hold in both states.

Now, one of the leading poker networks in the world is happy to confirm that beginning on January 1, 2023, players from both New Jersey and Michigan will be able to play together as the share liquidity scheme launches in full, the Associated Press confirmed. This marks an important step forward for poker in the United States.

The segment, which is still very popular, has been struggling to catch up to the verticals such as sports betting and casino. While this is understandable owing to the steeper entry level in poker, a big problem has been the lack of sufficient opportunities for online players to compete in worthwhile events.

In fact, many online poker players in the United States have turned to offshore options in a bid to find the sufficient tournament and cash games. This is now about to change, argues PokerStars US Managing Director Severin Rasset. Rasset hailed the important landmark and described it as a new chapter in the history of poker in the country, adding:

"Michigan and New Jersey joining forces is great news for our players in these two states, and poker, more generally, as it promises a better experience and even more value, all with the confidence provided by a trusted, licensed operator."

As a result of this merger, PokerStars will be able to offer its community a variety of games, tournaments, and not least, bigger prizes across the board. There will be new promotions and far more challenging and rewarding experiences available to poker aficionados in both Michigan and New Jersey.

Shared liquidity is not an entirely new concept in the United States and has long been touted as the "only way forward" for the legalized poker market in the country to catch up to offshore operations that are difficult to pinpoint but are likely topping at least several hundred million monthly.

One poker network said in 2020 that poker players put down as much as $100m worth of Bitcoin on monthly deposits for poker. Meanwhile, there have been efforts to help online poker take off in the United States. Players in Nevada and Delaware have been enjoying shared liquidity for the past seven years, since 2015.

New Jersey joined the interstate shared liquidity in 2018 through Caesars Interactive Entertainment. Hopes are that as online poker continues to present better opportunities at home, more players will stop visiting offshore sites.

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