West Virginia joins multi-state internet gaming agreement, becoming fifth state to do so
West Virginia on Tuesday became the fifth state to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), which allows states to share pools of online poker players.
MSIGA is governed by the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association of Delaware, with governance controlled by its member states. West Virginia joined the organization to allow Internet poker players in the Mountain State to sit at interactive poker tables with players from other participating states, the association said in a statement released Tuesday, Nov. 14.
“I’m pleased that iGaming operators in West Virginia now have the opportunity to offer multi-state poker to our players,” said West Virginia Lottery Director John Myers. “This will significantly expand the pool of potential participants, allowing our players to win larger prizes.”
MSIGA includes West Virginia, Delaware, Michigan, Nevada and New Jersey.
Online poker pool sharing is considered crucial in states that allow this type of iGaming. In states where online poker is legal but not part of MSIGA, for example: In places like Pennsylvania, poker players often complain that there aren't enough tables to play at.
By gathering players across state lines, venues become larger and therefore can accommodate players looking for 24/7 online gaming.
Background Story of Online Poker
MSIGA was created by legislation passed in 2013 in Nevada and Delaware. These measures provide a legal framework for the two states to share player mobility across state lines.
The legislation was carefully crafted to avoid breaches of the Federal Telegraph Act. A 1961 federal law prohibits the transmission of interstate wire communications for gambling purposes. The primary purpose of the Wire Act is to combat illegal sports betting networks.
The Nevada and Delaware legislatures took advantage of an exclusion in the Wire Act, which in both jurisdictions allows interstate transmission of betting notices “from a state or foreign country where such betting is legal.”
When interstate poker pools went into effect in 2014, only Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey had legalized online poker.
Nevada and Delaware, which rank 33rd and 46th respectively among the 50 states in terms of population, desperately need more players to support their online poker markets. New Jersey, the 11th most populous state, initially did not join the agreement but eventually “joined MSIGA in 2017”. Michigan State joined last year.
West Virginia iGaming
West Virginia lawmakers approved iGaming in 2019, including online slots, table games and poker. Gov. Jim Justice (R) allowed the measure to become law without his signature.
Justice made his fortune from coal and agriculture. In 2009, he agreed to bail out the bankrupt Greenbrier, a historic resort in White Sulfur Springs. Justice paid just $20 million for the luxury property but took on about $500 million in debt.
Justice saved 650 jobs by acquiring the resort, known for letting visitors "get water," as well as the property's now-famous underground bunker, which served as emergency housing for the U.S. Congress during the Cold War. In exchange for saving the legendary resort, Justice persuaded county voters to pass a local referendum to allow casino gambling at the hotel. The Greenbrier Casino Club opened in 2010.
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Source: www.casino.org
