3-state online poker pool to debut May 1

ATLANTIC CITY » Internet poker players in three states will be able to face off against each other starting May 1, in a longawaited expansion of online gambling.

Two poker brands of Caesars Interactive Entertainment, WSOP.com and 888Poker.com, plan to go live on that date in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware, the company told The Associated Press on Monday.

It would be the first joint play arrangement linking the three states that currently offer internet gambling. Pennsylvania is soon to offer online gambling, too, but is not party to the deal.

Caesars anticipates final regulatory approval from all three states, and has submitted its software for testing in all three jurisdictions.

The goal is to increase liquidity: The more people playing online at the same time, the larger the prize pools, and the more appealing the games are.

“This has been a huge collaborative effort from all involved and it is important to thank the elected leadership and regulatory authorities in Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey for their dedication and diligence to help move online poker forward,” said Bill Rini, WSOP.com’s head of online poker. “Everyone has had the end user in mind throughout this process, and as a result, we believe the United States, for the first time in a regulated environment, will have a large-scale multi-state offering that will propel the industry forward as soon as next month.”

David Rebuck, director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, said the pact was longawaited