Michigan clears FanDuel for multistate online poker
Table of contents
- The Michigan Gaming Control Board approved FanDuel to offer multistate internet poker across Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, effective April 1, 2026.
- FanDuel’s poker product operates under the PokerStars brand, with MotorCity Casino serving as its Michigan operator partner.
- The approval coincides with the retirement of the legacy PokerStars US platform and the launch of “PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel.”
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) approved FanDuel to offer multistate internet poker across Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania on April 1, 2026. The green light consolidates two of Flutter Entertainment‘s major US brands onto a single regulated poker platform.
A new platform takes shape
FanDuel’s poker product operates under the PokerStars brand in Michigan. MotorCity Casino serves as the state operator partner. The legacy PokerStars US platform was retired on March 31, clearing the way for the new combined offering.
“PokerStars Exclusively on FanDuel” launched across all three states simultaneously on April 1, bringing Pennsylvania into the shared player pool alongside Michigan and New Jersey for the first time.
The approval follows the MGCB’s regulatory review process. The board determined that FanDuel meets all Michigan requirements to conduct multistate internet poker.
The move is part of Flutter’s broader strategy to align its US operations under the FanDuel umbrella, a push that recently saw the company sunset its FanDuel Picks platform after just eight months to reallocate resources.
Henry Williams, Executive Director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, said:
“FanDuel is a well-established operator in the Michigan gaming market. Michigan players can have confidence in the integrity of the games they play, backed by the same rigorous oversight the MGCB applies across all licensed gaming activity.”
Aaron Dugan, General Manager of PokerStars at FanDuel, said:
“The launch of PokerStars Exclusively on FanDuel brings together two of the most iconic names in gaming and represents a major step forward for online poker in North America.”
MSIGA’s expanding footprint
Michigan joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) in 2022. Current member states are Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Before joining, Michigan players could only compete against others physically located within the state.
FanDuel’s three-state network now competes directly with BetMGM Poker, BetRivers Poker, and WSOP Online, each already operating shared liquidity pools across multiple MSIGA states.
FanDuel was also recently approved alongside DraftKings to launch in Arkansas, underscoring the operator’s ongoing push to expand its regulated US footprint.
Players who previously held accounts on the legacy PokerStars US platform are not migrated automatically. All participants, including former PokerStars users, must create new accounts on the updated platform. Legacy accounts will remain accessible through the end of April for fund withdrawals.
The platform is also slated to launch in Ontario, Canada, at an unspecified later date. Ontario players will not participate in the shared cross-state pool, as multi-jurisdictional play remains prohibited under current Canadian rules.
Implications for Flutter’s US strategy
The poker approval adds another vertical to FanDuel’s cross-sell offering at a time when Flutter is investing heavily in US customer retention. The company recently confirmed a sportsbook loyalty program will launch before the end of June, aimed at strengthening engagement ahead of the NFL season.
Operators in Michigan are also navigating a tighter fiscal environment. Governor Gretchen Whitmer‘s proposed budget includes iGaming and sports betting tax hikes that could affect margins across the state’s online gaming sector.
For investors, the FanDuel-PokerStars combination raises the competitive bar in US online poker. With cross-sell potential across sportsbook, casino, and poker verticals and a three-state liquidity pool at launch, the new platform is likely to pressure rival networks to accelerate their own interstate expansion plans.
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