When will online poker launch in Michigan?

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We anticipate Michigan online poker to go live in early 2021. An MGCB spokeswoman noted that they don’t know “whether poker will be among the games included at initial launch.” A lot of elements are at play and it is a huge task to launch both sports and online casinos at the same time, let alone poker.

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“The platform providers still must meet other regulatory requirements before online gaming and sports betting can launch in Michigan,” MGCB executive director Richard S. Kalm said in a news release. “The launch date will depend on how quickly they can fulfill the requirements.”

In January 2019, The Stars Group, a global leader in online gaming, announced its intention to enter Michigan’s online poker market. The Stars Group owns PokerStars online poker rooms around the world, including in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The only PokerStars competitor expected to enter the Michigan online poker market is PartyPoker. An existing deal between PartyPoker’s parent company GVC Holdings and MGM suggests that PartyPoker will likely enter Michigan through MGM Grand Detroit.

Since there aren’t any Caesars’ or Eldorado Resorts’ casinos in the state, WSOP.com doesn’t have an apparent home — yet.

In the fall of 2020, however, Caesars agreed to purchaseWilliam Hill for $3.7 billion. The deal, expected to be finalized in 2021, could be the pathway for WSOP to enter the state.

Will I be able to play poker with players in New Jersey and Pennsylvania?

If and when Michigan joins the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association remains unclear. The MSIGA allows New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware to share player pools.

A clause in the Michigan gambling bills would have directly facilitated an interstate compact; however, it was removed before the laws passed.

Lawmakers have indicated its removal was intended to address multi-state progressive slot jackpots.

Multi-state poker could be on its way to Michigan. It’s likely a must-have for the online poker market in the Great Lakes State to survive long-term. Curtis Hertel Jr., a state legislator in Michigan, has proposed a bill adding multi-state online poker to Michigan’s gambling offerings.

The bill passed through the Senate in October and then moved through the House of Representatives where it passed through committee in early December.

Michigan is slightly larger than New Jersey, where online poker is barely surviving despite pooling players with Nevada and Delaware.

Adding states, including Pennsylvania and Michigan, to the mix over the next few years would certainly be a boost to the US online poker market.

Online poker in Michigan

Because sports betting and online casinos will likely generate more revenue than online poker, the latter verticals may take priority.

Only existing casino operators, which include three commercial casinos in Detroit and 12 tribal casino operators throughout the state, will be able to procure online gambling licenses.

Each will be allowed one online casino brand and one online poker brand per license, up to two total brands apiece.

The licenses come with a $50,000 application fee, $100,000 initial licensing fee and a $50,000 annual renewal fee.

Michigan online poker operators will be subject to the same tiered tax structure as online casinos.

It starts at 20% for adjusted gross receipts of less than $4 million and peaks at 28% for more than $12 million. Detroit commercial casinos will also pay an additional 1.25% city tax.

Michigan online poker partnerships

PokerStars + Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians

Global online poker giant The Stars Group secured a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Gaming Authority in early January 2020.

The deal gives The Stars Group first-skin market access for all gambling verticals in Michigan, including online poker.

The Stars Group owns and operates PokerStars, which operates in NJ and PA. The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians operates three Michigan tribal casinos, with the largest being the Odawa Casino, near Petoskey.

Both entities will still need to secure a license and get regulatory approval from the Michigan Gaming Control Board. However, it appears it’s a matter of time before PokerStars Michigan launches.

Partypoker + MGM Grand Detroit

Though there wasn’t a formal announcement, MGM Resorts International and partypoker’s parent company GVC Holdings established a 50/50 joint venture sports betting and online gaming platform for the US in July 2018.

The idea is that MGM Resorts and GVC will deliver their assets, brands, proprietary technology, and industry expertise wherever sports betting and online gaming are legal in the US.

The press release announcing the joint venture specifically named the partypoker brand.

The launch of partypoker Michigan through MGM Grand would appear to be the perfect example of a joint venture in action.

How Michigan online poker will work

Michigan’s online poker will launch as a fenced-in market.

Players who are 21 years or older and within state lines will be eligible to play online poker cash games and tournaments.

Online poker operators will use geolocation technology to ensure all live players are inside the state.

Players will need to sign up for an online account with an operator of their choice and go through identity and age verification before they can play.

One day, state lawmakers may enter into a multi-state compact to allow operators to share player pools with sites in other poker states.

A clause initially included in the state’s online gambling bills that would have directly facilitated an interstate compact was removed before the legislation was passed.

Lawmakers have indicated its removal was intended to address multi-state progressive slot jackpots. Therefore, multi-state poker is still a possibility down the road.

Online poker bonuses and rewards

Michigan online poker sites will offer free play to attract new customers.

Tax breaks allowing Michigan online poker operators a percentage of gross receipts for free play over the first five years of operation all but guarantees this.

Plus, giving free bonus cash as an incentive to sign up has proven to be a successful poker marketing strategy elsewhere.

PokerStars PA has shot out of the gate, posting four to six times the revenue it averages in NJ.

Players who open a PokerStars account in Pennsylvania using the PokerStars PA bonus code PLAY30 and deposit at least $20 will earn $30 in free play.

This offer includes $20 in free play and $10 in Spin and Go tickets.

New PA players also receive a ticket to the depositor freeroll event on the last Sunday of every month. It features cash prizes and a zero-entry fee.

PokerStars’ players in Pennsylvania can also use the promo code STARS600 when they sign up and make their first deposit (or three qualifying deposits within 60 days), and can also earn a 100% bonus of up to $600.

Players need to earn redemption points to unlock the bonus, but get 5 points for every $1 paid in tournament fees or rake in most games. Once earning 100 redemption points, PokerStars PA will release $10 in bonus cash into their account.

PA players can only receive the free-money bonus or the deposit bonus, not both.

PokerStars Michigan should roll out with something similar.

Any tournaments that launch will attempt to stay competitive with a bonus structure to try to attract new players.

Fund your online poker account

There’s little doubt Michigan online poker operators will want to make getting your money on and off the sites as easy as possible.

That means offering a variety of deposit and withdrawal options, including third-party payment processors like PayPal, debit or credit cards, and cash.

Here’s an example of the variety of deposit methods at PokerStars PA:

• Instant E-checks: ACH payment.
• Skrill: A secure online third-party payment option.
• Mastercard or Visa: Credit or debit card transactions through approving issuing banks.
• Neteller: A secure online third-party payment option.
• Stars Transfer: Instant deposits with online banking.
• PayNearMe: Make a cash payment at retail locations, including 7-Eleven and CVS.
• PokerStars Play+ Card: This prepaid card pairs to a Stars’ account.
• Cash Deposit: Cash at the Mount Airy Casino cage.

Poker and cardrooms in Michigan

There’s a massive live poker scene in Michigan with as many as 10 live poker rooms operating across the state.

Walk into any one of the Michigan poker rooms on this list, and you’ll find securing a seat at affordable stakes is as easy as asking for one.

Bay Mills Resort & Casino

Bay Mills Resort & Casino, in Brimley, features a four-table poker room that is open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

There are regular cash games and low-buy-in tournaments. Players must be at least 18 years or older.

FireKeepers Casino Hotel

The newly renovated 26-table poker room at FireKeepers Casino Hotel, in Battle Creek, is the premier poker room in the state.

The room spreads Texas Hold’em, Omaha and stud cash games at a variety of low to mid-stakes. Plus, there are low to mid-stakes buy-in tournaments every day, including a regular stop on the popular Mid-States Poker Tour.

Promotions include a progressive bad beat jackpot.

Greektown Casino Hotel

Greektown Casino Hotel, in Detroit, features a 12-table poker room offering Texas Hold ’em and Omaha games. There are regular tournaments and high-hands promotions.

Gun Lake Casino

Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, features a 14-table poker room spreading Texas Hold’em and Omaha games.

There are low-stakes tournaments happening five days a week, and promotions include a bad beat jackpot.

Kewadin Casino

Kewadin Casino, Hotel and Convention Center, in Sault Ste. Marie, features a four-table poker room open Wednesdays through Sundays.

There are low-stakes tournaments on Wednesdays and cash games every day.

MGM Grand Detroit

The poker room at MGM Grand Detroit features 17 tables with Texas Hold’em and Omaha action.

There are bounty tournaments three days a week and promotions include splash pots, bad beat jackpots and hot-seat drawings.

MotorCity Casino Hotel

The MotorCity Casino Hotel, in Detroit, features a 17-table poker club spreading Texas Hold’em and Omaha games.

There’s a regular tournament calendar, and promotions include a bad beat jackpot, high-hands and a gas card giveaway.

Ojibwa Casino Baraga

The Ojibwa Casinos, in Baraga, spreads poker on a single table running on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m.

Ojibwa Casino Marquette

The Ojibwa Casino, in Marquette, has poker on three tables on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, in Mount Pleasant, features a 14-table poker room open 24/7.

There’s a six-day per week tournament schedule and promotions include a bad beat jackpot, early bird rake, lucky ticket draws and high-hands.

The room spreads Texas Hold’em, Pineapple, Crazy Pineapple, Omaha, seven-card stud and Razz. Multi-game formats include round by rounds, dealer’s choice, HORSE, SHOE and HOP. Players may request any game type with any limit.

Online poker is back in Pennsylvania. Many of the biggest and best-known poker sites are now legal and licensed to run games within state lines. They include PokerStars – with partypoker and WSOP.com expected to join soon.

As a player you can take advantage of the big marketing budgets these sites will use to gain traction in the Keystone State. There are no-deposit bouses, big matched welcome offers and generous loyalty schemes available right now.

This page has everything you need to understand the games, bonuses, and software options available at the legal PA online poker sites. You’ll also find a brief explanation of how the sites work and a detailed FAQ located at the bottom of the page.

Play online poker in Pennsylvania at PokerStars

Is online poker legal in PA?

Yes. Seven casinos took up the poker license, most as part of a package deal.

Instead of $4 million per gambling vertical, several PA casinos paid $10 million for poker, online slots, and online table games licenses. Many also spent $10 million for a separate sports betting license.

It took a long time from when the gambling expansion act (H 271) of 2017 was passed for PA online poker sites to appear. License holders prioritized sports betting and casinos as these have higher revenue than poker.

Best Poker Sites in Pennsylvania

Poker sites need to reach a critical mass of players to offer a good enough choice of cash games and big guarantees for their tournaments. This naturally limits the number of successful rooms possible, and healthy market share is critical.

The biggest rooms in other regulated states are strong favorites to be the biggest and best in Pennsylvania. Here are the sites to check out:

• PokerStars: Poker players the world over agree that PokerStars has the best software. While you will not be able to play against the giant global player pool in PA, you can enjoy the huge game choice and slick platform. New players get $30 in free play with a small ($20) deposit, with the ‘Stars Rewards’ loyalty scheme keeping your bankroll topped up after that.
• Party Poker: Soon, PA players will be able to check out the software and the famously soft poker games at Party with free money. Party offers NJ players $25 simply for signing up – which we expect to see on offer in PA too. Enjoy tournaments, cash games and the new Fast Forward poker format.
• WSOP.com/888: This brand is owned by Caesars Entertainment and will partner with Harrah’s Philadelphia to bring their unique platform to PA. There is more to this site than just qualifiers to the WSOP tournaments. You can play cash game, ‘Blast’ poker and a packed tournament schedule. New players get a matched welcome bonus of up to $1000 to get their bankrolls off to a flying start.

What do these PA poker apps offer?

PokerStars Pennsylvania

Poker players worldwide consider the PokerStars desktop client and apps to be the best software around. This covers the speed and smoothness of the games – plus small factors like how easy it is to resize tables and the ability to upload your own pictures.

PokerStars partnered with Mount Airy Casino. They were the first online poker site to launch in Pennsylvania – and have exceeded expectations in popularity. Player pools are not shared with their New Jersey site for the time being, which will be the case for all PA online poker rooms until further notice.

There are two bonuses for new players:

• Deposit a minimum of $20 to get $30 in tournament buy-ins and cash game tickets with bonus code THIRTY.
• Alternatively, PokerStars will match your first deposit up to $600. To claim this offer, use bonus code STARS600.

Regular players will enjoy a novel loyalty program. Stars Rewards gives you chests as you play, these have prizes tailored to you – going up in value depending on the stakes you play.

Games at PokerStars include the usual mix of cash games, tournaments and sit & goes. This site has a fast-fold cash game called Zoom Poker, and a lottery sit & go format called ‘Spins’. Regular ‘PACOOP’ (Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker) events feature big prize tournaments – the highlight of a busy tournament schedule. They also run a number of other exciting tournament series that come with hefty guarantees.

Party Poker Pennsylvania

Party Poker is the biggest rival to PokerStars. This site is owned by gambling giant GVC, which has a national deal with MGM. Valley Forge Casino will supply licenses for GVC.

Once live, PA poker players should receive $25 simply for signing up. This bonus comes in two parts:

• $10 is a cash bonus, you can use this for any type of game
• $15 is in tournament tokens

If you like what you find, then you can get a 100% matched welcome bonus on your first deposit up to $1000 max. Promotions include leaderboards, reload bonuses and a loyalty points program.

In addition to the packed list of cash games, tournaments and sit & goes, you can now play ‘Fast Forward’ poker at Party. This is a fast-fold format, where players are moved to a new hand as soon as the current hand is folded.

The partypoker software has been completely revamped since they were last available in the US. You will find smartphone apps and desktop downloads for both Windows and Mac devices. At launch, games will only be against other players from PA. In time it is hoped that the shared player pools will expand to cover Pennsylvania – allowing games against other partypoker players from other states.

WSOP Poker Pennsylvania

WSOP is short for ‘World Series of Poker’. This brand is owned by Caesars Entertainment – owners of the iconic Harrah’s Casino in PA. There are active WSOP.com poker sites in both Nevada and New Jersey – and soon, Pennsylvania.

Software for this site is powered by 888 Poker, offering both an app and a downloadable desktop version.

There are some generous bonuses for new players at WSOP Pennsylvania:

• A no deposit bonus of $10 to check out the games with zero risk. Use bonus code 10FREE to claim this
• A huge bonus of up to $1000 matched to your first deposit

You can clear your bonus by collecting points in the real money games. WSOP have satellite qualifiers to the World Series events – as well as online poker promotions. Look out for new poker formats including ‘Blast’ lottery Sit and Goes, alongside the usual mix of NL Hold’em and PLO cash games and tournaments.

How legal online poker sites in Pennsylvania work

For online casinos and sportsbooks, you’ll normally access the website to enjoy gambling. Poker sites are different. Most players prefer to download a desktop software client to access the games. This gives you all the game types, and the ability to comfortably multi-table (play more than one table at a time). It also ensures the games are stable. Avoiding the client crashing just as you get dealt pocket aces is important.

PokerStars PA launched with both an Android and an iOS app available.

When you access the PA poker rooms, you will find four main poker formats. Which are available (and have games running) will depend on the size of the player pool at each site.

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Here are the main formats:

• Cash games: Your chips have a real monetary value and can be topped up to the table maximum at any time. Online poker cash games start at $2 buy-ins (micro-stakes) up to around $1,000+ buy-ins. The stakes at these tables range from $.02/$.04 to $1,000/$2,000. Tables typically have two, six, or nine players.
• Poker tournaments: A knockout format where each player starts with a stack of chips in exchange for their buy-in. The bet sizes increase steadily, and play continues until one player has all the chips. Expect 10% or so of the field to get prizes. There are many variations in speed, poker game type, and the ability to rebuy or re-enter if you bust.
• Sit & Go tournaments: Usually single table games, these kick off whenever a table is full. New variations include PokerStars’ Spin & Go. These are three-handed games with a random prize pool of up to 10,000x your buy-in.
• Fast-fold poker: This innovation dispenses with the waiting time while other players finish hands by taking you to a new hand as soon as you fold. Players sit in pools rather than individual tables. Fast fold poker is used for both cash games and tournaments but is not available in Pennsylvania yet.

At international sites, there are a lot of poker variations to enjoy. The smaller player pools in Pennsylvania will mean that only No-Limit Hold’em and some Omaha variations like PLO and PLO8 will be available. If PA joins a wider group of state sites then Stud, Draw, and mixed games could become available.

Real Money Poker vs Free Online Poker

If you have only ever enjoyed poker on free to play apps, you will need to read up on strategy before you jump into the real money games. There is a huge difference in skill level as soon as real money is on the line.

The online poker rooms in Pennsylvania have options to enjoy play-money only tables. These can help you get to know the different types of poker game and how the betting rounds work. At PokerStars, the Home Games function lets you create private tables for your friends and colleagues. You can even play them with friends outside of PA, as long as they are for play money.

You can try out real money poker games at some sites without making a deposit. Party Poker should offer $10 in cash plus $15 in tournament entry tokens just for signing up. Other sites like PokerStars give you tokens worth $30 for just a small deposit.

To get off to a solid start at the real money poker tables, it is worth starting off at smaller buy-in levels than you would play in a live setting. This will give you a chance to assess the skill levels of your opponents and make sure you can beat the games before you move up to higher buy-ins.

Pennsylvania online poker: Bonuses and promotions

The online poker sites which have the most players in PA will have a huge advantage over competitors. PokerStars got a leg up on the competition as the first to market and exceeded expectations right away, taking in nearly $2 million in rake and tournament fees in its first month back in November.

As the number of players grows, bigger tournaments, better promotions, and a wider choice of cash games become available. This has the effect of attracting more players. Currently, PokerStars PA offers a choice of two welcome bonuses, namely $30 free if deposit $20 using marketing code FREE30, or a 100%bonus match up to $600 using marketing code STARS600, not both though.

Once more online poker rooms go live in Pennsylvania, there will be fierce competition for new players. You can take advantage of this by getting your bankroll off to a great start thanks to the sites’ big marketing budgets and generous bonus offers.

Based on poker rooms in other regulated states, here is what to expect:

• No-deposit bonuses: Some poker sites will offer completely free chips, no deposit needed. This will sometimes come in the form of buy-ins to different tournaments or cash games. You’ll need to play this money through a set number of times before it can be withdrawn.
• Matched welcome bonuses: Expect your first deposit to be given a 100% (or better) match. Some sites offer up to $1,000 in bonus money this way. This is usually released in increments as you play.
• Freeroll tournaments: New players will be given access to beginners or depositors freerolls with real money prize pools. There may be additional entries based on loyalty schemes or future deposits.
• Reload bonuses: If your bankroll gets depleted, you will usually be offered an extra bonus to reload. Be advised these are usually smaller offers than the initial deposit bonus.
• Loyalty schemes: Poker sites all handle their loyalty programs differently. For PokerStars PA, expect to be awarded treasure chests, which have prizes tailored to your individual gambling preferences.

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Depending on the brand, you might also be offered crossover promotions for the different gambling verticals.

Sports betting and casino games are well established in Pennsylvania, with many of the license holders for poker involved in all three industries. For example, players can now sign up for Fox Bet online sports betting and also access the PokerStars PA online poker and online casino verticals.

Depositing and withdrawing at PA online poker rooms

With poker being a skill game, more players will withdraw money than the other gambling verticals. You’ll have a lot of choices for how to get your money on board and your profits back off again.

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While not all the online poker rooms will have all of the methods listed, the deposit methods below are the most commonly accepted.

• Credit / debit cards: Instant payments can be made with your regular bank cards. Visa and MasterCard are accepted by all the sites. Some sites will also allow deposits with Discover cards as well.
• Prepaid Play+ cards: Many gambling sites have branded debit cards. These add security and can be used for withdrawing your winnings. Then players can access funds via ATMs.
• Casino cage: You’ll be able to deposit and withdraw at the casino associated with each of the poker room brands.
• PayNearMe: This is another way of depositing cash, this time via 7-Eleven or CVS stores. Note that the fixed costs make this expensive for smaller deposits.
• PayPal: This is a popular online wallet system. It is used as a secure bridge between your bank and online merchants. PayPal is used for both deposits and withdrawals. However, do not be surprised if this option is not available at most online poker sites. The fees associated with PayPal, combined with the high tax rates for PA online operators mean this will be a rare option, not a common one.
• Neteller / Skrill: Owned by the same company, these wallet services work in a similar way to PayPal. They have been popular with poker players internationally for many years. Like PayPal, there is a chance these will not be available at every site because of hefty fees.
• eChecks: Also known as ACH transfers, this poker deposit method comes directly from your bank. You can get pre-verified, making your eCheck deposits and withdrawals instant.
• Bill pay: If you use a major bank, you might already pay your utility bills with Bill Pay. Paying into your poker account works in the same way. This banking option is not used for withdrawals.
• Bank wire: This is a slower way to transfer from your bank, though can still be used if you wish to securely transfer large amounts.
• Money order / paper check: Another slower banking method welcomed by many sites. If there are no alternative ‘online’ methods, you can withdraw your profits via a paper check.

Online poker partnerships in PA

For now, PA poker games are ring-fenced. This means that tables will not be shared with poker players from other regulated states like New Jersey and Nevada.

Three major international brands already partnered with Pennsylvania casinos, with only PokerStars and Mount Airy Casino live with their online poker product. More announcements are expected soon to clarify plans for online poker.

This is the full list of the PA casinos which have licenses to open online poker rooms:

Live poker in Pennsylvania

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There are 10 live poker rooms in Pennsylvania. They are:

• Harrah’s Philadelphia: This poker room is branded using the World Series of Poker name. It is open 24/7 and has 28 tables featuring cash games and tournaments. Types of poker include the popular No-Limit Hold’em, Seven-Card Stud, and Omaha.
• Mohegan Sun Pocono: Located close to Wilkes-Barre, this poker room holds 18 tables. Daily tournaments include bounty events. The room also offers bad beat and royal flush jackpots for cash games.
• Parx Casino: This is one of the bigger poker rooms, hosting 48 tables including a separated three-table high-limit poker room. Parx is located at Bensalem, northeast of Philadelphia. They hold big buy-in tournament events, as well their own regular schedule of tournaments and cash games.
• Rivers Casino: Located in Pittsburgh, Rivers Casino hosts a 30-table poker room, which covers more than 8,000 square feet. Hourly high-hand bonuses keep the cash games lively, while bigger buy-in tournament events run alongside their busy weekly schedule.
• The Meadows Casino: Rather than a separate room, the 14 poker tables at The Meadows are on the main casino floor. You’ll have a view of the live racing while you play. This room is located 25 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, at Strabane Township.
• Hollywood Casino: This live poker venue is located at the Penn National Racecourse, at Grantville, PA. They have 17 tables and run cash games with a high hand promotion. Tournaments include both standard and turbo blind options.
• Mount Airy Casino: The poker parlor at the Mount Airy resort in northwest PA is a smaller live poker venue. With only nine tables, Texas Hold’em is the only variation you will find here.
• Presque Isle Casino: This is the smallest poker room in Pennsylvania, with only seven tables. While most rooms are 24/7, this one opens at 10 a.m. / 12 p.m. and continues only as long as there is substantial play. Single and multi-table tournaments are advertised, in addition to cash games.
• Sugarhouse Casino: Located in Philadelphia, Sugarhouse offers a 24/7 poker room which holds 28 tables. High hand and bad beat jackpots are run. Buy-ins for their cash games range from $60 to $3,000.
• Wind Creek Casino: This 28-table live poker room is located close to Bethlehem, PA. This was previously known as Sands Casino. With a complimentary beverage service, tableside dining, and a lot of TV’s showing sporting action, this poker room is advertised as state of the art.