Online Poker in Connecticut
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Almost all states in the US have some form of online poker, but California is one of the states that is not regulated. The state has introduced several bills over the years to bring online poker to the state, but nothing has been passed yet. The state’s population is just under 3.5 million, which is not much of a market for online poker operators.
Online poker is already legal in Nevada and Delaware, with their combined player pools coming online in April 2018. New Jersey has joined the interstate compact with Nevada and will also operate with a combined player pool. Pennsylvania is likely to join the player pool when it is legalized, though it is not clear when.
The next few months will be important for online poker in Connecticut. Connecticut will soon be free to enter multi-state agreements, which will allow states to create shared player pools and liquidity. However, until the Wire Act is ruled on, Connecticut is unlikely to see regulated online poker. However, shared liquidity with other states may help increase interest in Connecticut. This is because a shared network across state lines will increase the number of player pools.
While a shared network may help Connecticut, the state itself is still small and does not present a major market for online poker operators. However, this may change in the future. The state’s legislature is currently considering legislation to bring online poker to the state. This legislation has not advanced yet, but it could happen in the next year or so. It is unclear if two sites will be launched at the same time, or if the state will only have regulated online poker when the Wire Act is ruled.
The online poker industry is dominated by a small number of major networks. However, there are many independent doorways into these networks. As a result, some operators report traffic double or triple. Many of these networks have only a few players, and therefore, it is unlikely that Connecticut will see more players than other states.
The only way for online poker in Connecticut to be competitive is for another state to enter a shared liquidity agreement. The current MSIGA, which includes Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, is likely to expand to new states in the future. However, as of yet, there are no other states that have signed an agreement.
There is also a possibility that Connecticut will have no regulated online poker at all when the Wire Act is ruled on. However, the state’s legislature is still considering the bill, and the state’s population is too small to support a large online poker market. If online poker is introduced, Connecticut may be able to enter a shared liquidity agreement with another state, but the legislature has not yet decided whether it will do so.
While no operators have signed up to begin a Connecticut online poker site, it is possible that one will eventually be launched. FanDuel, which owns the PokerStars and Flutter brands, is a reputable company that could launch an online poker site. It is also possible that DraftKings, another reputable company, will set up a site, but it is unlikely that the company will develop an online poker platform for the state.