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DraftKings‘ online poker players in Michigan gained access to a larger, shared table network on July 8 with the launch of the company’s cross-border platform linking the state to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) confirmed the launch on Monday, which pools participants from the three states into common tables and tournament fields rather than restricting play to residents of a single state.
Online poker relies on player volume to fill tables and sustain prize pools, since participants compete against each other rather than against the house. Combining three state-level pools into one network gives DraftKings a larger base of active players to draw from at any given time compared with a single-state offering.
Michigan’s 2022 compact entry set up the connection
The three-state link operates under the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), which Michigan joined in 2022. Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia also participate in the compact.
Before Michigan entered MSIGA, online poker players in the state could only play against other Michigan residents, which kept table sizes and prize pools smaller than what shared-liquidity states could offer.
Pennsylvania joined the agreement for poker purposes last year, a step projected to give roughly 150,000 poker players across the participating states additional table options. DraftKings’ network could extend to other MSIGA members, including Nevada and West Virginia, pending regulatory clearance in each jurisdiction.
DraftKings becomes the second operator connecting Michigan poker players to an out-of-state pool through MSIGA. The MGCB approved PokerStars, operating on the FanDuel platform, for multi-jurisdiction poker connectivity in April, and DraftKings’ launch adds a second brand to that shared-liquidity structure in the state.
Regulator cites review process behind clearance
To operate the cross-border pool, DraftKings first needed to clear an MGCB review confirming the operator meets Michigan’s requirements for multi-state internet poker. In Michigan, DraftKings runs the product through the Bay Mills Indian Community, which serves as the operator’s local partner for the offering.
“This approval reflects the strength of our partnership with Bay Mills Indian Community and the thoroughness of our regulatory process,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams.
“As Michigan’s multistate poker network continues to grow, we remain focused on ensuring every operator meets the same high bar for fairness, security, and player protection,” he added.
The MGCB said the clearance supports its approach of enabling licensed, regulated gaming activity while maintaining oversight tied to responsible gaming practices and industry integrity.