We have new information about online poker in Pennsylvania, including partnerships, software and potential launch dates! Plus, the Iowa sports betting launch where they are ready to go live and online in a few short days! We also cover news from Massachusetts and The Stars Group expansion to multiple states!

Hello friends, on our last program we spoke at length about Pennsylvania online poker following the launch of internet gambling in the state. Now we have additional information as well as a date… sort of. This week’s big story is that Hollywood Casino… the first to go live in the state with a web-based casino… has entered a five-year agreement with software provider IGT who power online casino games table games and… you guessed it online poker.

Originally some had estimated that internet poker could be up and running in the Keystone State as early as September which I found a bit optimistic. Now Hollywood Casino says that online poker should be up and running by… and I quote… “the end of the year”. Considering it’s already August it looks like I was correct to be skeptical about a September launch. Now I’m not one to toot my own horn…

Also making headlines this week, Penn National Gaming owners of the fore mentioned Hollywood casino… owners of a lot of casinos actually… they’ve just made a deal with the Stars Group owners of Poker Stars. This agreement will allow Stars group to provide real money online casino games, sports betting and poker to nine states where Penn National currently operates… states like Indiana, Illinois and Kansas… Maine, Massachusetts and Michigan… New Mexico, Ohio, even Texas! Ironically, not Pennsylvania!

With this deal in place Stars Group now has access to the market in 20 American states!

An Iowa sports betting launch is actually set… and unlike Pennsylvania online poker, this is an actual date… and it’s not too far away! August 15th, which depending on when you’re watching this video is about a week away… give or take. Eighteen state casinos will be accepting bets, although not all of them will be up and running on day one. However, 15 of them are going to have mobile apps!

Finally this week, if you like a little ambiguity in your life try this one: The governor of Massachusetts says he’s pretty confident that sports betting is going to be regulated in his state by… perhaps… maybe… around to the year 2020… somewhere thereabouts… maybe…

Hey, it could happen!