BetMGM unleashes online poker in Michigan
Operator joins PokerStars in the Wolverine State as competition begins to heat up
BetMGM, the joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain, has rolled out its online and mobile poker offering in Michigan to complement its digital sportsbook and casino.
The launch means Michigan is the second US online gambling state after New Jersey to offer online poker from BetMGM. It is also the second state, again after New Jersey, to have multiple poker sites.
Powered by partypoker US network, BetMGM joins PokerStars MI which introduced its product in the Wolverine State in January, shortly after a coordinated online sports betting and casino launch on 22 January involving a dozen brands.
To tempt new players, BetMGM is offering a $25 bonus and a 100% deposit match bonus up to $600. All players in the state will be invited to a $50,000 freeroll tournament scheduled for 4 April.
The desktop, iOS and Android offering features daily tournaments and cash games, while players can access a poker education programme via LearnWPT from the World Poker Tour.
Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM, said: “The launch of BetMGM Poker in Michigan fully rounds out our premier gaming portfolio in the state.
“BetMGM’s sports betting and casino offerings have been met with incredible early success in Michigan and we’re thrilled to provide players with another exciting gaming option.”
Since PokerStars went live in Michigan on 30 January, the poker room has proved to be extremely popular in comparison to other regulated online poker states.
According to poker traffic tracking site Poker Scout, PokerStars MI currently sits in 15th spot for global cash-game traffic with a seven-day average of 425 players. This puts it below Unibet and above Playtech’s poker network in Italy.
PokerStars ran the Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP) and such was the interest that the company raised the guarantees for around half of the 60 tournaments, bumping the total guaranteed prize pools from $1m to almost $1.5m.
Although online poker in Michigan is currently restricted to being an intrastate affair, the legislation does allow for interstate compacting.
With the Wire Act largely in the rear-view mirror, the state is now more likely to press ahead with pooling liquidity with other states.
As things stand, only New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada currently share player pools through the network operated by 888, which also powers the WSOP brand.
The other state with online poker up and running, Pennsylvania, has yet to join the network due in part to concerns as to whether compacting flouts the 60-year-old Wire Act.