New Jersey joins Delaware/Nevada online poker games

Players in all three states will now be able to compete against each other as part of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.

Since early 2014, gamblers in Delaware and Nevada have been able to play online poker against each other through the websites of casinos in the player’s state. Now, a new pool of players will join the mix.

Delaware Lottery director Vernon Kirk said the addition of New Jersey players will not only add more competition, but more institutional knowledge. “New Jersey brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the agreement which will help further develop the network and eventually lead to more jurisdictions and more games, which will mean more revenue to participating states,” Kirk said. “We are very excited.”

The added pool of players from New Jersey will make it more likely that players in Nevada and Delaware will be able to find an online table that fits their game style and stakes preferences at the time they want to play, Kirk said.

“You’re much more likely to find a game that’s the stakes that you like, or the time that you like or the type of game that you like, and when you meet all those criteria, your likely to have more players.”

In 2014, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval joined then-Delaware Gov. Jack Markell in the First State to announce the two-state gambling partnership. At that time, Sandoval predicted more state’s like New Jersey joining the effort. “The approach we’ve taken with this agreement will allow us to establish a working framework within which multiple states can collaborate productively to achieve much needed results for our citizens,” Sandoval said at the time.

Nevada only allows online poker games, so that’s the only online game Delaware gamblers can compete in against players from out west. Unlike Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey offer a full array of casino games available online, meaning online competition between the neighboring states could expand into all sorts of games.

In August, the latest month numbers were available, Delaware online gamblers wagered $9.8 million. Most of that money ($7.2 million) was bet through Delaware Park’s online casino site.