The July 10th PGCB meeting agenda has been published. Executive Director Kevin O'Toole is scheduled to present a report to the Board near the beginning of Wednesday's meeting.

https://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/fi...a_20190710.pdf

Here's a Twitter poll from today. How many online poker/casino services will actually launch in PA this coming Monday?

I am pretty excited to receive this email:

"Deer Fellow Pokker Player,

PA poker opens with a bang at Bluff-a-rama Poker featuring fixed limit Omaha, Big O, and Badugi games galore!

Bluff-a-rama is run by BluffMeister, Inc.

See you there!

BluffMan"

But seriously, yes the silence is deafening.

Will PA players be able to participate in the same tourneys on PokerStars as the rest of the world or is it going to be separate?

LOL, no.

Hopefully we will be getting some news tomorrow at the meeting.

Today's PGCB meeting begins at the top of the hour. Today we should learn which (if any) Pennsylvania online casinos/online poker rooms will launch on Monday, July 15th.



PGCB Executive Director Kevin O'Toole is scheduled to present his report today. There are two public hearings that will happen before he speaks.

Here's the meeting agenda for those who would like to follow along.

https://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/fi...a_20190710.pdf

Not sure if anyone is watching the first hearing (Stadium's Category 2 license renewal) in today's meeting.

If you are, this is a glimpse into the cross-jurisdictional nightmare that both land-based and internet casino expansions are prompting, particularly in the statewide "commercial casino" realm.

Stadium is anticipating grand-opening its Philadelphia LIVE! property in December 2020, but traffic concerns surrounding a planned access ramp have resulted in controversy, imminent domain processes, financial risk assessments, and multiple permit needs.

EDIT: There was a brief reference to "iGaming" in the PGCB meeting about 40 minutes in. This was only in relation to Stadium's potential interest in applying for "interactive gaming" licensure. Stadium's representatives stated that they have no interest at this time -- but just a short note that this only applies to Stadium and is separate from the topic of whether PA online poker/casino games will launch this coming Monday, July 15th.

UPDATE: [See Post #56 for video] The PGCB Exec. Director (about 1 hour, 40 minutes in) made no reference to the potential July 15th Pennsylvania online poker/casino soft-launch that had been discussed in previous meetings.

The only other "interactive gaming" topic that remains on today's agenda is the conditional approval of Unibet's iGaming certificate application. That's the only other section that I can think of that might potentially reference any upcoming real money iGaming launches (or lack thereof).

EDIT: If any are still following along with the meeting in real time, this is the section of the monthly meetings where the board decides the fate of casino employee licenses and exclusion list (both "voluntary" and "involuntary") entries. One customer was just placed on the "Involuntary" Exclusion List for dumping "bags of cocaine" on a land-based casino gaming floor. He went through the process of going to a separate, earlier hearing to still be able to enter the casino (because apparently he brings clients into the establishment). The PGCB decided to place him on the Involuntary Exclusion List in spite of his pleas.

At the two-hour mark, there was a casino employee firing of a poker tournament promoter who was caught pocketing some live event buy-in money.

Right now, "Licensure" is the topic being discussed. Unibet's conditional/provisional "interactive gaming" license is up for consideration in a few moments, but that "conditional" permission doesn't grant any right to launch until the PGCB gives the go-ahead.

At the 2:06:00 mark, New York-based Unibet received conditional approval for an "interactive gaming" license in Pennsylvania. No reference was made to the previously announced July 15th PA iGaming/iPoker launch date.

It appears that even a partial Pennsylvania July 15th online poker/casino launch date is not happening, unless official clarification is provided by the Board between now and Monday.

Lol at that cocaine story, also I don't have time today to watch the meeting, so I'm really glad you are live updating the important(and hilarious) parts of the meeting!

Thanks!

UPDATE -- per PlayPennsylvania.

Jessica Welman and Dustin Gouker have confirmed via the PGCB that TWO (Parx & Penn National/Hollywood) online casinos will be ready for launch this coming Monday.

https://www.playpennsylvania.com/hol...uly-15-launch/



So there have been two online "casino" products in PA deemed ready for Monday, but no online "poker" sites.
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EDIT: As pokerfuse's Michael Gentile points out, "will be ready" and "will launch" are two separate terms. Dustin Gouker has clarified via Twitter.


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General Summary -- July 10th, 2019 PGCB Meeting: The controversy over a planned access ramp for Stadium's Philadelphia LIVE! casino (still under construction -- planned grand opening December 2020) took the wind out of the sails of today's PGCB meeting. It also took up roughly one full hour of the meeting, which lasted approximately two and a half hours.

I've watched a lot of these meetings, and this is the very first time I've seen discussion of a topic become somewhat disorganized, to the point where PGCB Chairman David Barasch verbally acknowledged the need for organized discussion.

There are a number of commercial interests that could be impacted by precisely WHERE and HOW the proposed access ramp is built or not built, not to mention the jurisdictional red tape that involves the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), the City of Philadelphia, and perhaps even a federal government waiver (which could take up to 20-30 years to procure, according to testimony provided during today's meeting).

As far as online poker/casino in Pennsylvania are concerned, PlayPennsylvania has confirmed via the PGCB that at least TWO Pennsylvania online "casino" products will launch on July 15th: Penn National/Hollywood and Parx. There has been NO mention/confirmation of any online "poker" products getting the green light for launching on July 15th. So unless official clarification is provided between now and then, there will be ZERO online "poker" sites launching in Pennsylvania this coming Monday.

Appreciate the info/updates

Per Doug Harbach, Communications Director at the PGCB, in response to my email, no online poker next week

I appreciate the detailed updates dhuber

I had no idea this was happening. Saw it in a twitch poker chat. Looking forward to what Monday brings.

Monday brings online casino games, no poker.

I currently live in upstate NY just over the PA line. Does nayone know if i'd be able to go to PA and play PokerStars PA lets say, from a hotel in Pennsylvania? I have a NY drivers license obviously so would this make it impossible to cash out, even if I was in PA? If not, I think tons of NY players will play in PA.

If it’s like the other regulated states anyone located in that jurisdiction will be able to play/cashout regardless of where they actually reside.

This would be great. With the size and reach of PA geographically, I imagine this would open up lots of players coming over from NY, OH, WV, MD,etc. to play.

The day has finally arrived. Online gambling is now legal again in Pennsylvania!

Link to legal online poker rooms today?

No online poker yet

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk

As far as I know, there is no imminent online poker launch in Pennsylvania until the Board gives the official go-ahead.

Here is some of the Twitter coverage on today's Pennsylvania "iGaming" launch (online casino table games/slots).











Restricted access is also an issue, as there are similar sign-up burdens placed on specific devices/system requirements as there were/are for PA online sports betting.

[QUOTE=dhubermex;55276531]As far as I know, there is no imminent online poker launch in Pennsylvania until the Board gives the official go-ahead.

Why in gods name would they want to drag their feet on allowing these company's to operate? I'm Bummed

:

Anybody surprised? If the government is involved in something it’s going to be slow and subpar.