New Jersey Online Poker to Benefit from Cross-State Player Sharing

October 16th, 2017 | by Kaycee James

New Jersey online poker has entered a new chapter in its evolution thanks to a player sharing pact with Nevada and Delaware.

Chris Christie liquidity sharing.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announces that his state has formed a liquidity sharing pact with Nevada and Delaware. (Image: nbcnews.com/Mel Evans/AP)

Following months of talks and speculation, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has announced that the terms of a liquidity sharing deal have been agreed.

Ever since online poker and casino gaming was regulated in New Jersey, officials have been looking for ways to improve the market for operators and players.

An Inevitable Deal Gets Done

Recently, talks of a liquidity sharing deal with the UK’s Gambling Commission have been posited, but the one that’s come to fruition is closer to home. As per the State of New Jersey’s official announcement, the agreement will allow operators will be able to offer their products across three states.

Under the terms of the deal, operators with a standing in New Jersey, Nevada or Delaware individually won’t automatically receive a cross-state license. For many operators currently active in the Garden State, this new step isn’t likely to be an issue.

However, one company that may run into a few obstacles is PokerStars. One of the more recent licensees in New Jersey, PokerStars has had to fight in order to be granted a route back into the US market.

Dubbed by some states considering iGaming regulation as a “bad actor” because it operated in the US post-UIGEA, there are some that would may see this as a problem moving forward with a cross-state pact.

But, with New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement already giving the operators its seal of approval, it’s unlikely Nevada and Delaware will make a stand. Indeed, with New Jersey being the largest of the three regulated online gaming markets, it’s likely to hold a lot of influence over its partners.

Which State Benefits the Most?

According to the stats, New Jersey generated $196.7 million in iGaming profit back in 2016. In more recent months, September 2017 saw a 4.1 percent increase in year-on-year revenue to $235.8 million.

While Nevada doesn’t release specific online gaming revenue reports, we know that Delaware generated just $3 million in net revenue in 2016. Given the financial disparity between the states, it suggests that Nevada and Delaware will benefit from this new alliance more than New Jersey will from its new iGaming buddies. 

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