West Virginia online poker has been legal for five years. However, it took until 2023 for West Virginia to enter into the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA). That was the required step to make WV online poker happen.
The state is too small for online poker without interstate player pooling. Now that WV signed the MSIGA, this means the states share online poker tables. This adds liquidity to the tables. Small states can only support a few tables at peak hours.
This was demonstrated when Delaware was ring-fenced before it entered the MSIGA. The site only generated about $20,000 a month in rake. That more than doubled once merging the site with Nevada and New Jersey players brought more cash game action and larger tournaments.
Unfortunately, due to a new operator, Delaware is temporarily without legal online poker. Online poker is technically legal in Connecticut and Rhode Island. However, both these states have yet to launch it. Rhode Island requires live dealers, so that will probably never happen under those rules.
While poker sites are not yet available, legal online casinos are. Games like Texas Hold’em Bonus and Ultimate Texas Hold’em are dealt by these sites. The minimum bet is usually only $1. There are also three live WV poker rooms.
Future poker sites
West Virginia will likely only see one or two poker sites. Here is the list of possibilities based on movement in other legal online poker markets.
BetMGM
BetMGM seems to be one of the most likely poker sites to enter the state. It operates in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Each state is ring-fenced. Michigan and New Jersey are members of the MSIGA. Pennsylvania is not. West Virginia allows BetMGM to network with three other states. The company holds a Nevada online poker license, so it’s possible the network could make four states.
PokerStars
PokerStars is the only online poker room to network states outside of Nevada. Its Michigan and New Jersey player pools share tables, including cash games and tournaments.
PokerStars is best known for its massive variety of games. In addition to the usual Texas hold’em and Omaha games, PokerStars offers mixed games like seven card stud, seven card stud hi/lo, draw games, and razz. It is also known for its incredible software and great tournament structures.
Run It Once
Run It Once has yet to launch. It is operated by Rush Street Interactive, which is the parent company of BetRivers. Rush Street just won the Delaware Lottery online gambling contract. The previous operator was 888, a troubled online gambling company that manages the WSOP poker site. There is no online poker in Delaware as 888 left with 888’s market exit. However, it is coming. When Run It Once launches in Delaware, it will go live with other states. This opens the door for Run It Once in WV.
WSOP
WSOP is the lowest form of legal online poker. The site is mismanaged. Only its Nevada and New Jersey player pools share tables. Different software is used in Michigan and Pennsylvania. This makes it impossible for Michigan to join Nevada and New Jersey players, even with the MSIGA agreement in place.
That is probably best for WV online poker players. WV Advantage recommends avoiding any site managed by 888, including WSOP.
Games likely to be dealt at WV poker sites
The main online poker game is no limit Texas hold’em. Legal poker sites run the occasional limit version of the game. Another popular game is pot limit Omaha. There is some action with Omaha hi/lo. A few poker platforms deal seven card stud and seven card stud hi/lo. PokerStars is known for offering mixed games like HORSE and draw games.
These games will come in four formats. The most popular these days are multi-table tournaments. These offer large prize pools, often with a guarantee. These events are scheduled and last hours. Cash games are another popular form of online poker. Players sit at tables with cash chips in front of them. They may enter and exit when they wish.
There are two forms of online sit and gos. These are small poker tournaments that are not scheduled. Cards are dealt as soon as all the seats are sold. Traditional sit and gos are usually one or two tables. Some are heads-up or shorthanded. Lottery sit and gos are three-handed tournaments with a prize pool determined by a random number generator. This allows for some massive prize pools, while some are smaller than the buy-in.