That annual chatter regarding online poker regulation in various states has already begun for 2016. The problem is that much of the chatter is going on outside of California and Pennsylvania. While any discussion regarding iPoker regulation is positive, the reality is that much of it is glorified lip service.

While it is great that Massachusetts and Washington State are already talking about regulation this year, there’s nothing that leads us to believe that they will lead to even as much as a positive committee vote. Frankly, until Pennsylvania or California regulate online poker, most talk towards that end is pointless.

We’ve beat this horse to death, but the fact remains that online poker by itself has been uninspiring in the regulated market. While the protections in place are great for players, regulation has not proved nearly the boom to operators as hoped.

New Jersey experienced tremendous growth in 2015, but that was all on casino games. Online poker struggled all year and is expected to continue struggling until PokerStars launches. Even then, there’s no guarantee that the market will “grow.” Some believe that the market will merely regain its losses and that is all. Time will tell.

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