West Virginia joins multi-state compact to boost online poker

West Virginia has become the latest state to join the ambitious undertaking known as the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement or MSIGA, established in 2014 under the aegis of Nevada and Delaware, some of the most forward-thinking states in the USA when it comes to online gambling in general. New Jersey then joined in 2017, and Michigan was indeed MSIGA’s most recent entry in 2022.

West Virginia is effectively the fifth state to join the existing MSIGA members, to wit Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, and pool its online poker ecosystem with other jurisdictions creating a more vibrant and dynamic ecosystem.

The idea behind MSIGA is to offer a legal gambling landscape when it comes to poker that is based in the United States as a counterbalance to the offshore gambling market that continues to target online players across the country. It has been mostly slow going, however, as states either lack online poker in the first place or the motivation to join MSIGA.

West Virginia though has found a reason to join. WV Lottery Assistant Director Randy Burnside welcomed the opportunity to offer players in the Mountain State the chance to become a part of a thriving ecosystem.

"It will allow our West Virginia players, when it comes available, to play for bigger winnings," Burnside said, which is precisely why the state is keen to ensure that its players have access to the best possible options. Further developing the poker ecosystem in the country is a chance for businesses and consumers, and it should be encouraged, the director believes.

However, before a company can go live as part of this multi-state offer, it would need a regulatory go-ahead that the WV State Lottery is more than happy to grant to any qualifying business.

"They will do everything that they have to do and then they’ll be able to offer a game that includes players from those other states as well," Burnside explained, noting that cross-border online poker should get underway early in 2024.

There are other states that are close to entering as well, with Pennsylvania the obvious frontrunner. The Keystone State regulates iGaming, online poker, and sports betting.

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