It emerged last week that Nevada’s online poker market has taken another hit as prominent social poker site PokerBros abruptly announced it was withdrawing from the market with almost immediate effect.
Following in the footsteps of rival digital poker network Global Poker which publicized its exit strategy last year, PokerBros’ abrupt U-turn out of the state is likely due to the state’s increasing regulatory constraints – although no definitive reason has been given yet.
PokerBros initiated its extraction last week after advising its player base that users may continue using their accounts – but only from outside of Nevada.
However, Global Poker’s announcement of its departure last December, followed its strategic withdrawal from several other states in 2024 including Connecticut, Michigan, and Delaware, in the midst of intensifying scrutiny of sweepstakes-based gaming formats.
The problem lies within the social poker format which uses virtual currency systems ahead of offering bankable cash prizes.
Nevada, along with a growing number of other states, perceives the practice as operating in a legal gray area, adjudicating it to still be a form of gambling, but without obtaining legitimate state-approved licensing.
It goes without saying, that both PokerBros and Global Poker have certainly prospered in states with looser online poker regulations, but Nevada appears to be clamping down on its stance on virtual online poker sites.
The high-profile exits of platforms such as Global Poker, and now PokerBros are, in all likelihood a signal that Nevada is beginning to ramp up its enforcement on operators who may be viewed as trying to exploit existing legal loopholes.
Nevadans See Their Poker Options Shrinking
Nevada’s online poker market is now left with significantly fewer options as residents are left shut out of yet another popular sweepstakes-based platform.
For now, Nevadans are finding themselves having to navigate a far more restrictive online poker ecosystem. While the likes of Texas appear to be willing to relax regulation, the home of Las Vegas is doing the opposite.
Players now face a somewhat limited variety of operators to choose from, given there is only one fully regulated platform in the form of WSOP NV. Alternative formats do exist such as subscription-based operators such as ClubGG and ClubWPT, nevertheless, there is no guarantee that these too will be exempt from future legislative crackdowns in Nevada.
As the legislative landscape of sweepstakes poker continues to evolve, it remains unclear whether other states will begin mirroring Nevada’s lead on tightening regulations. Equally as unclear at the moment is whether sites like PokerBros and Global Poker are exploring modified wagering formats and other possible legal loopholes that could provide a path back into the state.