U.S. online poker’s regulatory turning point in 2025

U.S. online poker faces regulatory turning point in 2025

Online poker in the United States is entering a decisive chapter in 2025. For two decades it has lived in a regulatory grey area: hugely popular with players and commercially attractive for operators, but with a legal framework that never quite caught up. A few key states – New Jersey, Nevada and Michigan among them – have built mature regulated ecosystems, while many others remain undecided, leaving players oscillating between licensed local rooms and offshore alternatives.

The breakthrough moment came in April 2025, when the latest stage of multi-state shared liquidity (MSIGA) turned theory into practice: larger player pools, stronger tournament schedules and significantly improved guarantees. Just as importantly, it proved that regulated online poker can scale across state lines when the right conditions are in place.

Against this backdrop, iGaming software provider EvenBet Gaming takes a closer look at how these developments are reshaping the U.S. online poker landscape – and the opportunities, technical demands and regulatory challenges that operators must navigate to compete in this new phase of growth.

However, there are still many issues, such as fraud, AML, and underage play risks, that literally force the regulators to act faster to catch up with the market pace. All of this makes 2025 a pivot point. The question is no longer whether online poker should be regulated. The question is whether regulators can keep up with a market that’s already moving faster than policy.

The Patchwork of U.S. Poker Regulation

Since the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), states have been left to decide their own course. Now, nearly twenty years later, U.S. online poker still looks like a mismatched fabric. We've got five states (NJ, Nevada, Delaware, Michigan, PA) running regulated poker, each with their own hoops, and everywhere else either no option or offshore rooms with zero safety nets. Three more states (West Virginia, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) created a legal framework for online poker, but have no operations yet.

As of 2025, just five states — NJ, Nevada, Delaware, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — run legal poker rooms. Each has its own rules, strict licensing, geolocation controls, and responsible gaming protocols. Shared liquidity’s been the only real win. Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) lets states pool players, and it’s the only reason the games feel alive. Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware were first, Michigan jumped in 2022, and Pennsylvania finally joined this April, creating the biggest regulated pool the U.S. has ever seen.

Yet, there are still significant gaps. Large states like California, New York, and Florida — all with huge potential player bases — have failed to pass meaningful poker legislation, despite years of debate. Until they move, the market stays small, operators can’t scale, and America’s market stays miles behind Europe’s unified liquidity.

In short, while regulation has moved forward, the U.S. poker map in 2025 is still uneven, and the pressure is on lawmakers to create greater consistency.

Drivers for Reform in the U.S. Market

The case for stronger poker regulation in 2025 rests on three pillars: player protection, liquidity, and market growth.

First, player safety. Offshore sites are a gamble in themselves. Weak security, no clear way to fight disputes, and zero guarantees. Regulators are finally pushing for basics like 2FA, age checks, and KYC. U.S.-licensed operators already run these systems.

Second, liquidity. Poker’s fun when tables are full. A fragmented player base leads to empty lobbies, longer wait times, and declining engagement. Regulation unlocks shared pools, as the MSIGA pact showed us. When Pennsylvania joined in 2025, it proved the point — player pools grew, games flowed, and everyone won. Without shared liquidity, even well-regulated states risk stagnation.

Market growth closes the loop. Europe shows what’s possible: regulated cross-border play fuels innovation, revenue, and stability, while the U.S. poker sector has been stuck at a limited scale compared to Europe. Analysts say the U.S. could tap billions in new revenue and tax money if more states join. But growth isn’t just financial: regulation builds legitimacy, aligning poker with the standards of the wider iGaming industry.

Benefits of Harmonised Poker Regulation

Regulation, even the most favourable, means nothing if players don’t trust the poker platforms. And in 2025, that trust is mostly built on technology.

One of the most pressing issues is cybersecurity. A 2025 report from SiGMA highlights that operators face constant pressure from account hacks, bonus abuse, and data theft. Poker, as a player-to-player game, presents even more fraud-related challenges: collusion, chip dumping, and the use of AI bots at the table. The industry response is a shift toward layered defences: biometrics at login, AI scanning play patterns in real time, and fraud triggers firing before the damage is done.

Fairness is next. RNG certification remains non-negotiable, but now players want more transparency. Some platforms are experimenting with blockchain-based verification, so anyone can verify shuffles and outcomes — a move that could soon become a regulatory requirement in high-standard markets.

Then there’s identity verification and age checks. With U.S. states enforcing strict KYC rules, platforms rely on advanced verification providers to prevent underage play and comply with AML directives. And the growing adoption of the common rulebook is making these checks fast and smooth — another must-have in 2025.

Technical integrity isn’t only about compliance, it’s also about reliability. EvenBet Gaming platforms have 99.9% uptime, real-time fraud detection, and modular integration options, ensuring operators can scale without sacrificing stability.

In short, regulation without technology is a paper tiger. Truly sustainable poker needs both robust compliance frameworks and cutting-edge tech.

The Global Outlook: Beyond the U.S.

This journey the U.S. poker market finds itself on is not unfolding in a vacuum. Europe already proved what works and what doesn’t. France, Spain, and Portugal pulled down the walls in 2018, merging liquidity and showing that cross-border pools equal bigger markets, healthier ecosystems, and stronger operator revenue. Italy joined later. America’s just catching up.

Other parts of Europe show two working models. The UK keeps it tight but consistent — everyone follows the same rules, which makes players feel safe, and operators trust the system. Malta is more like the industry’s HQ: straightforward licenses, clear standards, and lots of operators parked there because the rules are predictable. In Latin America, regulation is at a tipping point. Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina are talking about taxes and player safety.

Given the young, mobile-first population, the region could be the next gold rush once frameworks settle - or the biggest disappointment if the trend of increasing taxes and tightening the leash continues.

Asia paints a more complex picture. Official markets are locked down tight, but underground play is thriving. This presents both risks — in terms of illegal operations and lack of safeguards — and opportunities, should governments begin to consider structured regulatory pathways.

When we look at it, Europe shows the danger of fragmented frameworks and the stable growth that comes with shared liquidity. On the other end, the UK’s Gambling Commission (UKGC) sets the gold standard with unified, player-first rules. Malta’s MGA proves consistency and clarity attract serious operators. Together, these examples show that when it's done right, regulation can move beyond legality to legitimacy, cementing poker's place as mainstream digital entertainment.

Operator Perspective

For operators, the pivot to a regulated poker environment isn’t just about meeting requirements once legislation arrives — it’s about being ready in advance. If you wait for regulation to kick in before you fix your platform, you’re already behind. EvenBet Gaming is a partner with proven expertise. Our turnkey poker solutions are built with regulatory frameworks in mind, embedding AML monitoring, KYC checks, age verification, and reporting dashboards directly into the platform. These aren’t afterthoughts bolted on later — they are core functions, ensuring operators can demonstrate compliance from day one.

Technical scalability and speed matter too. EvenBet can deploy in 4–6 weeks, with platforms stress-tested for 10,000+ concurrent players. The modular architecture lets you dial in features per market: liquidity pools, tourney formats, and local requirements.

On top of that, you get automated fraud detection, responsible gaming safeguards (such as loss limits and self-exclusion), and liquidity-balancing tools — basically all the safety rails you need to run at scale without getting burned. Don’t wait for regulation to force change. Build the infrastructure now, so when the whistle blows, you’re already at the table.

Conclusion

2025 is more than just another chapter in online poker’s legal battles — it is an important turning point for the game’s sustainability. If things stay fragmented, players will be the ones who suffer most — grey zone sites, weak oversight, and fraud. But if regulation wins, everyone benefits: safer play, bigger tournaments, and better profits for the operators.

We’ve already seen it in Europe with shared liquidity, and in Latin America’s with its regulatory debates. The U.S. is now slowly coming around and heading towards the regulated market.

Now the clock’s on regulators and operators. Regulators need to move fast, while operators need to be regulation-ready today, not someday in the future. In 2026, the U.S. poker finally has a chance to go mainstream instead of being stuck in a patchwork forever.