Poker Industry Awaits Changes: Governor Josh Shapiro Speaks Out on Poker Following MSIGA Membership
Hey! I'm Keith Becker, the PokerNews Ambassador and Pennsylvania** native, here with the juicy scoop on PA poker for March 2025. Buckle up, folks, 'cause it's a thrilling ride ahead for us poker enthusiasts in the States.
What's keeping the poker community buzzing? Let's dive right in.
The big kahuna this month is Pennsylvania's official entry into the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA). This monumental move means PA players now compete with folks from other states: New Jersey, Nevada, Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia. Hey, bigger player pools means more exciting tournaments, bigger prize pools, and an overall exhilarating experience.
Our beloved Governor Josh Shapiro also pointed out the economic benefits of this move, implying it'll boost competition, drive economic growth, and support crucial state programs. As someone who's been on a mission to make this happen, I'm beyond pumped that multi-state poker is here!
Governor Shapiro also scored some brownie points with poker lovers by doing an interview with PokerGO's Mori Eskandani, a Poker Hall of Famer. Check it out below:
With MSIGA live and cookin', BetMGM wasted no time launching their shared player pool across Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey on the first day. They kicked things off with a $30,000 freeroll where player "bigbootyboy" stormed the top prize of over $4400 and a $5K Aria package. Let me break that down for ya – an almost $10K prize. For. Free. Multi-state poker, y'all! BetMGM also announced their biggest tournament series ever, the BetMGM May Millions, running from May 8-11. If you've been itching to jump in, this could be your lucky day!
switching gears to live poker for a moment. The PokerStars Philadelphia Open at Live! Casino and Hotel wrapped up in style. Edward Leonard took down the $1,100 Main Event, outlasting a beastly field of 1,154 entries and claiming the lion's share of the $1,107,840 prize pool. Leonard pocketed $147,806 after a three-way deal, crediting his stamina and mental focus for the impressive 18-hour final day performance.
Speaking of PokerStars, they've been the driving force behind the exciting tournaments and promotions in Pennsylvania since they were the very first operator to market in the state back in 2019. However, players are currently scratching their heads wondering why PokerStars hasn't dashed straight into the shared player pool enabled by MSIGA. The addition would boost tournament traffic and prize pools, creating even more exciting opportunities for PA players. Some speculate PokerStars is sitting on some ace-up-the-sleeve plans for when they finally do join the multi-state poker game. For now, silence from Stars' public relations and marketing has got us all holding our breath.
Now, let me tell ya about the newest operator in town, BetRivers. They've officially confirmed plans to launch a multi-state online poker network, potentially paving the way for the first ever five-state shared liquidity pool in the US. Parent company Rush Street Interactive has stated they're actively working to combine player pools in states like New Jersey and Michigan, and with Pennsylvania and exclusivity in Delaware, and also being available in West Virginia, we're talkin' five-state action here. The platform has already built a loyal following in Pennsylvania, supported by their innovative "Rakeback Revolution," ongoing software updates, and ambassador campaigns featuring poker greats Phil Hellmuth and Phil Galfond. If all goes as planned, BetRivers could emerge as a major player in the multi-state poker market by the end of this year.
Get excited, my friends, because poker in America is taking off, and I'm stoked to be your guide here in Pennsylvania. For more information, check out our PokerNews Pennsylvania page here, and be sure to follow me on socials to stay in the loop. I'll be back next month with another update!
Keith Becker is an accomplished American poker player based out of Pennsylvania. A former member of PokerStars Team Pro Online, Becker is now a PokerNews Ambassador and Streamer. Becker has been streaming poker on Twitch since Day 1 of regulated poker in Pennsylvania and has led a grassroots movement for PA to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.
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- In March 2025, Pennsylvania entered the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), allowing PA players to compete with those from New Jersey, Nevada, Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia.
- Governor Josh Shapiro highlighted the economic benefits of this move, suggesting it would boost competition, drive economic growth, and support state programs.
- Poker enthusiasts can watch Governor Shapiro's interview with PokerGO's Mori Eskandani, a Poker Hall of Famer.
- BetMGM started the shared player pool across Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey with a $30,000 freeroll, offering over $4,400 and a $5K Aria package as top prizes.
- BetRivers has Confirmed plans to launch a multi-state online poker network, potentially creating the first five-state shared liquidity pool in the US.