GB regulator in compact talks with New Jersey

Great Britain’s Gambling Commission has held talks with regulators in New Jersey about pooling online poker liquidity between the two jurisdictions.

New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) director David Rebuck revealed talks between the pair had taken place last year in an open a letter but said that “no compacts have been entered” to date.

While the Gambling Commission refused to comment specifically on talks with the DGE, it did reveal it had held discussions with a number of regulators regarding the potential to pool liquidity.

“We are in regular contact with other regulators regarding a number of issues including shared liquidity,” a spokesperson for the Gambling Commission said.

“We are in support of shared liquidity but we understand that other regulators need to examine the options open to them based on their circumstances.”

Rebuck said international compacts were “an important area” for the future growth of egaming in the Garden State.

“This type of cooperation between jurisdictions is very important for building liquidity in peer-to-peer games such as poker,” he said.

The potential to pool liquidity has been a hot topic in recent years as regulated jurisdictions look for ways in which to improve the fortunes of a flagging poker market.

Last year both the Spanish and Italian regulator said they were hopeful some form of an agreement could be reached in the near future, however, in 2013 politicians in France seemingly ruled itself out of any future liquidity sharing pact.

It is not known how far talks between the Commission and the DGE have progressed, but a key issue to resolve will be working around New Jersey’s ring-fenced liquidity and the UK’s more open market.