The wait may finally be over for poker lovers in Pennsylvania as the state’s first online poker offering is reportedly set to debut on Monday, November 4. It goes without saying that the lack of a legal and regulated online poker option in the state has been very frustrating for the state’s residents and this makes the anticipated launch of PokerStars’ poker room a very big deal.
Initially, the state expected to roll out online poker in mid-July but these plans bore no fruit with no specific details being given on when the industry would be expected to launch again. Until now, that is. On Monday, the wait will come to an end with the soft launch of the PokerStars online poker room.
In anticipation of the soft launch, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has already put in place a team that will oversee the test launch. However, it is important to note that there is still a lot that can happen and this could end up affecting the launch.
For now, it remains unclear whether the launch will involve a mobile app or just a gaming site. The rollout of a mobile betting option will definitely be highly welcome but do not get your hopes up especially considering PokerStars’ track record of starting with the launch of a desktop client.
Hopefully, everything will go well during the test launch and then the online poker room can transition into a full-proof online gaming destination for Pennsylvanians.
More Sports Betting Options Coming
In addition to the long-awaited launch of online poker in the Keystone State, there is also going to be an increase in the number of sports betting options available to the state’s residents. Next week, Pennsylvanians can also expect the debut of the DraftKings sports betting app.
This revelation follows the approval of DraftKings’ Sports Wagering Operator License by the state’s gaming regulator.
“Working in partnership with the outstanding team at Penn National Gaming, we expect the mandatory soft play period to begin on November 4th towards the goal of an official public launch a few days later,” Tim Dent, DraftKings chief compliance officer, said.
With DraftKings’ entry into that market, the bettors will now have access to no less than six sports betting apps. These include an app from FanDuel which is arguably DraftKings’ biggest rival. That much tight competition is definitely great for the bettors since it will not only mean the introduction of very competitive sports betting offers but also massive growth in the sector. Besides, considering DraftKings’ impressive track record in a number of other states, it is definitely bound to shine in the Keystone State.
