Online Poker Revenues in New Jersey Dive

New Jersey’s online poker revenues recently took a dive last 2018. This came off as a surprise
for the state as it just joined the shared player pool with Delaware and Nevada last May 2018.
PlayNJ.com reports that the combined revenue of three online poker operators dropped 12
percent from last year. It further says that sites have been struggling to hit their previous
revenues. Generally, these sites had no problem hitting the 2 million revenue mark the previous
year, but it seems this was a struggle last 2018. Sites such as Party Poker were even struggling to
hit the half-a-million mark.
Caesars was the only site to ever show growth and improvement for their site.
DOJ Spells Doom
While the shared player pool increases the number of players for these sites thereby increase
their chances for more revenues, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced its
interpretation of the Wire Act.
What this means is that the DOJ has effectively banned all betting across states. Players from
other states like Delaware and Nevada may no longer join the pools from New Jersey sites.
New Jersey was optimistic it could have reversed the problem with their revenues when
Pennsylvania previously wanted to join them. With the DOJ ruling, however, this already seems
to be unlikely.
Given how other states are underreacting to this ruling and New Jersey seeming to continue this
trend, the state may find itself under scrutiny with the federal government.
New York or No York
New Jersey may have also set its sights for New York to join their shared player pool, but the
deal seems to be off the table. The DOJ ruling may have already discouraged some states to join
shared player pools like the ones in New Jersey.
Furthermore, New York just recently advanced a bill which may discourage further bettors from
joining online poker. The bill, called A00591, aims to conduct a study as to the lifestyles and
profiles of gamblers in New York.
The bill, when passed into law, would submit and publicize results around 2022.
A00591 also seems to be a huge blockade over S 18, which was another bill aimed to legalize
and regulate online poker. S 18 was also the key bill which would allow New York to join the
shared player pools such as those in New Jersey.
With the DOJ ruling and A00591, the possibility of New York joining already looks unlikely.