What is MSIGA in online poker?
MSIGA is a compact among some licensed internet-poker states so their players can sit at shared tables. It adds liquidity. It does not legalize poker in not legal states.
Answer first
90s| Question | Honest answer | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| What is MSIGA? | Multi-state internet gaming agreement | Participating boards’ notices |
| Nationwide poker? | No | Five live poker statuses only |
| Play from a not legal state? | No — geofence still wins | How online poker works |
| Same as a.com room? | No — still each state’s licence | Regulator roster |
In short
Key takeaways
- The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement lets licensed online poker sites share players across member states.
- You must still be physically inside a member state.
- West Virginia signed in 2022, but shared games need an operator licensed there.
- It covers poker only, not online casino games.
Progress
Shared table, separate licences
- 1
State A licence
Player must be in A
- 2
State B licence
Player must be in B
- 3
Shared pool
Agreement lets those licensed players mix
- 4
Everyone else
Still outside
Live poker statuses in our file: DE, MI, NJ, NV, PA. legal, not launched: CT, ME, WV. A pool does not rewrite those statuses.
Floor rules
Pool vs market
Know before you sit
- Shared pool
- Licensed players from participating states at one table. Liquidity, not a new statute for the other 45 states.
- live online poker status
- DE MI NJ NV PA in state-status.json (Oct 13, 2026).
- Geofence
- You still have to be in your licensed state. See Geolocation for online gambling.
Sequence
If someone says “MSIGA means US poker is legal”
Step 01
Open the online poker status for where you sit
If not legal, the agreement does not reach you.
Step 02
Confirm the client on that board’s list
How to verify a licensed online casino / poker roster.
Step 03
Treat the pool as extra seats
Not as a federal poker licence.
Floor rules
Compact terms
Know before you sit
- Shared liquidity
- Players from member states sit at the same tables.
- Ring-fenced
- A site serving only one state.
- Host state
- The state whose licence the site uses for a given player.
Online poker licences by state
| State | Active licences | Regulator | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 7 | PGCB | 2026-10-13 |
| New Jersey | 6 | NJ DGE | 2026-10-13 |
| Delaware | 3 | Delaware Lottery | 2026-10-13 |
| Michigan | 3 | MGCB | 2026-10-13 |
| Nevada | 2 | NGCB / Nevada Gaming Commission | 2026-10-13 |
Active licences copied from regulator lists. Not a ranking.
State stamps
States in the shared poker compact
Own app
Founding member, 2014
NGCBOwn app
Founding member, 2014
Delaware LotteryOwn app
Joined 2017
NJ DGEOwn app
Joined 2022
MGCB
Membership lets licensed sites pool players. Each site still needs a licence in every state it serves.
States where online poker is live
| State | Status | Min age | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Live | 21 | Arizona Department of Gaming |
| Arkansas | Live | — | Arkansas Racing Commission / DFA sports-wagering office |
| Colorado | Live | 21 | Colorado Division of Gaming |
| Connecticut | Live | 21 | DCP Gaming Division |
| Delaware | Live | 21 | Delaware Lottery |
| District of Columbia | Live | 21 | Office of Lottery and Gaming |
| Florida | Live | 21 | Florida Gaming Control Commission; compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida |
| Illinois | Live | 21 | Illinois Gaming Board |
| Indiana | Live | 21 | Indiana Gaming Commission |
| Iowa | Live | 21 | Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission |
| Kansas | Live | 21 | Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission and Kansas Lottery |
| Kentucky | Live | 21 | Kentucky Horse Racing Commission |
| Louisiana | Live | 21 | Louisiana Gaming Control Board |
| Maine | Live | 21 | Gambling Control Unit |
| Maryland | Live | 21 | MLGCC; SWARC awards mobile licences |
| Massachusetts | Live | 21 | Massachusetts Gaming Commission |
States where online poker is live (cont.)
| State | Status | Min age | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Live | 21 | MGCB |
| Missouri | Live | — | Missouri Gaming Commission |
| Nevada | Live | 21 | NGCB / Nevada Gaming Commission |
| New Hampshire | Live | 18 | New Hampshire Lottery |
| New Jersey | Live | 21 | NJ DGE |
| New York | Live | 21 | NYS Gaming Commission |
| North Carolina | Live | 21 | North Carolina State Lottery Commission |
| Ohio | Live | 21 | Ohio Casino Control Commission |
| Oregon | Live | 21 | Oregon Lottery |
| Pennsylvania | Live | 21 | PGCB |
| Rhode Island | Live | — | Rhode Island Lottery |
| Tennessee | Live | 21 | Tennessee Sports Wagering Council |
| Vermont | Live | 21 | Department of Liquor and Lottery |
| Virginia | Live | 21 | Virginia Lottery |
| West Virginia | Live | 21 | West Virginia Lottery |
| Wyoming | Live | 18 | Wyoming Gaming Commission |
Keep reading
Related pages
- Is online poker legal in the US? →Is online poker legal in the US? com. Live in DE, MI, NJ, NV, PA.
- How online poker works →How online poker works in licensed US states: geofence, account, table, rake. Shared pools are mechanics.
- Are prediction markets legal in the US? →Are prediction markets legal? Event contracts sit in CFTC and state-court fights. Not a 50-state sportsbook map.
- Is online sports betting legal in the US? →Is online sports betting legal in the US? Not all 50.
- Is daily fantasy sports legal in the US? →Is daily fantasy sports legal? Only where a state licenses or registers it. California opinion 23-1001 says no.
Go play
Where to play in Las Vegas
Tap a resort — each row opens that casino’s White Gambling page (hours, parking, loyalty, floor facts). Sorted by published table units when we have them — confirm on property.
Open a casino page
Real listings · not adsAfter the 90 seconds
Questions before and after you play
A 90-second guide cannot cover every table moment. Tap a group, then a question — answers are short paragraphs, not one-liners.
01Meaning
What is MSIGA?
The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement is a compact some licensed internet-poker states use so their geofenced players can sit in shared games. Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control Board has published notices about joining that poker agreement. It is a liquidity mechanic, not a nationwide poker licence.
Does MSIGA let me play from any US state?
No. You must still be physically in a participating licensed state. Our poker state table only marks five live states. A shared pool does not open California or Texas.
02Advice
Is this page legal advice?
No. It explains a multi-state poker agreement using the poker state table and board notices. For table eligibility, use that regulator or ask counsel.
03More questions people ask
Is West Virginia in the compact?
West Virginia signed the agreement in 2022, but shared poker traffic depends on an operator launching there with a licence. Check the West Virginia Lottery list for live poker sites.
What is MSIGA?
The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement is a compact among state regulators that allows licensed online poker sites to share player pools across member states. Nevada and Delaware signed in 2014, New Jersey joined in 2017, and Michigan joined later.
Which states have legal online poker?
As of our October 13, 2026 check, online poker is live in 5 jurisdictions: Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Every other state either has no law, has a law that has not launched yet, or limits play to a physical venue. Check the state regulator before you deposit, because launches and repeals happen mid-year.
Does MSIGA make poker legal in my state?
No. A state must first pass its own online poker law and then join the compact. Being near a member state changes nothing.
Why does liquidity matter?
More players means more tables, more stakes and bigger tournament guarantees. Small states like Delaware depend on the shared pool for games to run.
Sources
- PGCB — Governor Shapiro signs Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement · accessed Oct 14, 2026Pennsylvania joining MSIGA for poker — mechanics, not a brand list.
- Nevada online poker — official regulator source. Poker only. MSIGA founding signatory. Two interactive licensees on the NGCB · accessed Oct 13, 2026Nevada: live for online poker.
- New Jersey online poker — official regulator source. Peer-to-peer inside iGaming. MSIGA member. · accessed Oct 13, 2026New Jersey: live for online poker.
- Michigan online poker — official regulator source. Commercial and tribal. MSIGA member. MGCB named three operator pairs for mul · accessed Oct 13, 2026Michigan: live for online poker.
- Delaware online poker — official regulator source. Live. No single PDF of authorized poker domains. MSIGA founding signatory. · accessed Oct 13, 2026Delaware: live for online poker.