The state won’t be ready for online poker until sometime later this year
Online poker was legalized in West Virginia in 2019, but progress has yet to be made in launching online poker rooms in the Mountaineer State. Initial discussions were that the online poker market in the state might be too small to attract enough players, which prompted lawmakers to move forward and enter the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) in the fall of 2023.
PokerStars and BetMGM congratulated the West Virginia Lottery Commission for entering the multi-state poker pool with New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware and Michigan. John Myers, Director of the West Virginia Lottery Commission, initially stated he expected online poker rooms would launch in the first quarter of 2024, but this is now doubtful.
However, Myers did confirm that poker operators have begun the procedure to initiate online poker in the state, but he didn’t confirm which operators they were. Providers must first submit their online poker proposals, which regulators must approve. Poker software for each operator must then be tested and authorized before being allowed to launch.
Given the different processes that need to be checked and approved, Myers believes online poker will likely go live in West Virginia towards the end of 2024.
West Virginia gaming regulations require online poker operators to partner with a retail casino to launch an online poker room. BetMGM is currently in the most suitable position to be the first to launch after partnering with Greenbrier Resort to establish an online casino and sports betting platform.
Other operators likely to launch in West Virginia include World Series of Poker (WSOP), PokerStars and Run It Once (RIO), which will have to form partnerships with land-based casinos before being approved. The choices would include Mardi Gras, Wheeling Island, or Mountaineer casinos.
