Six US states now share online poker liquidity under the MSIGA, with Pennsylvania the latest to join

Six US states currently take part in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), which allows regulated online poker operators to pool players across state lines. The members are Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

The concept of shared liquidity was developed in 2014 by Delaware and Nevada, with New Jersey joining later. Michigan became a member in 2022 and West Virginia followed in 2023. Pennsylvania joined as the sixth state in 2025, after Governor Shapiro signed the agreement, making it the largest member of the shared market.

Membership does not automatically enable multistate play. Licensed operators and platform providers must obtain the necessary regulatory approvals first, and players must be physically located in a state where the relevant poker offering is permitted. Operators rely on geolocation and other verification tools to confirm that players are in an authorized jurisdiction.

Shared liquidity matters because not every state with regulated online poker has enough players to sustain round-the-clock games on its own. Larger pools can support bigger tournament prize pools and wider cash-game availability. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said that joining the MSIGA would give its players access to larger prize pools without higher buy-ins. Thin traffic, by contrast, can leave operators struggling to maintain a healthy selection of games and tournaments, which may push players away.

Pooling does not mean all players end up in a single network. Different operators can be approved to link different combinations of states. In Michigan, for example, regulators have approved operators for several multistate combinations, including Michigan with Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, and Michigan with Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The Pennsylvania regulator estimated that about 150,000 Pennsylvanians play online poker and that the state's entry would enlarge the shared pool by more than 50%. It said poker players backed joining in order to increase competition, access larger prize pools, grow the poker industry, support smaller operators and reduce unregulated play. The article notes that continued debate over online gaming legislation in large states suggests room for further, if gradual, growth, and that any additional states joining the MSIGA could enlarge the potential player pool further.