Can Online Poker Rise Phoenix-Like Post WSOP?

Las Vegas may still be suffering from the summer doldrums, but that didn't stop this year’s WSOP from putting on a spectacle. And while the totals for the Main Event weren’t quite record-breaking, the 9,735 players and a combined prize pool of over $90 million were still a standout considering the broader economic environment. 

And the 100 live bracelet events, along with thirty concurrent online bracelet events, did set records both in terms of bracelets awarded but more importantly, in entries, with more than 246,000 buy-ins and total prize money of more than $480 million, demonstrating a healthy pent-up demand for both live and online poker.

While many still tie the last boom in Internet poker to Chris Moneymaker, a long-shot amateur player who went on to win the 2003 WSOP main event, there is something to be said for Michael “the Grinder” Mizrachi’s impressive Main Event win this year as well. While he may lack Moneymaker’s underdog appeal, for serious players, Mizrachi represents the pinnacle of the sport.

Event #66 in this year's WSOP was the Poker Players’ Championship, and as the name entails, it is seen as one of, if not the premier event on the WSOP circuit. This $50,000 buy-in event not only draws the top names in the poker world but also offers a grueling format of nine games, from 2-7 no-limit lowball to limit RAZZ and, of course, no-limit Texas Hold’em.

Mizrachi not only once again dominated the competition in this event but also won his fourth Poker Player’s Championship Bracelet, which would have been a tremendous feat in itself, but to turn around less than three weeks later and take home top place and $10 million in the Main Event was seen by many as the penultimate poker feat. So much so that he was immediately inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.

But his historic wins highlight an important part of this overall poker comeback story. This time, poker and its growing adherents aren’t here for opportunistic luck but understand the thousands of hours and level of skill needed to perfect this game, and thus, why Michael “the grinder” Mizrachi is the perfect man to be the face of this redemption movement.

He represents the maturity and credibility that online poker has been searching for in the two decades post UIGEA, and his feat is not just a fourth title in the Poker Player's Championship to cement his reputation amongst professional and knowledgeable players but to follow that up with a Main Event win showcasing the dedication and talent that a true professional brings to the game to all of the aspirational amateurs out there. 

MSIGA Momentum

While Mizrachi’s wins might inspire players to put in more online hours, it’s the hard work of lobbyists in legislatures around the country that is finally yielding results. The Multi State Internet Gaming Agreement is quietly becoming the most important piece of US poker’s online revival.

Recent legislative wins in Pennsylvania saw another potential 13 million residents added to the current MSIGA states of Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, and West Virginia. And efforts in other Northeastern states are likely to bear fruit, especially in Rhode Island and Connecticut, both of which have legal online casinos and legislatures that have voiced strong support for joining MSIGA.

However, the introduction of Connecticut bill SB 1464 has muddied the waters somewhat, as the bill would indeed enable Connecticut to finally join the Agreement but would also put a cap on max sports bets. Which seems fine in theory, but, as is often the case in these bills, may prove a Trojan horse for either stifling sports betting in the state or a mechanism to strangle the bill in its crib. 

For now, MSIGA is the most practical way forward for online poker. The ability to share liquidity and players across state lines brings back some of the industry’s strengths pre-UIGEA. It is the best path back to larger prize pools and sustainable ecosystems, which means serious players can consider making it a home.

Even incremental growth every couple of years, like the addition of Connecticut, would mean that over the course of the next few years, online poker is finally beginning to stitch back together the fragmented markets that have made the online game almost unplayable in legal and licensed venues in ring-fenced states.

Remaining Legal Landscape

Regional poker rooms, especially those associated with tribal casinos in Florida and California, are booming. And Texas, with its barn door-sized loophole in Chapter 47 of its gambling code, now has literally hundreds of poker social clubs, including more than a dozen in the state capital of Austin.

As Texas well illustrates, live poker has found a way to thrive even in states where full legalization hasn’t always arrived quite yet. Meanwhile, live poker states like New York, Maryland, and Ohio continue to debate and discuss legal online gaming that would almost certainly include online poker.

While none of this has yet come to fruition, many believe it’s inevitable. States with large populations like New York and even Florida are likely to see online gaming in some form in the next five years and that will almost certainly come with both online poker and MSIGA membership. Both live and online poker aren’t just holding ground anymore. They are moving forward, even if it is inch by inch in some states.

Evolving Culture

Poker’s cultural moment isn’t just coming; it’s already being recorded. Creators like Lex Veldhuis, with over 330,000 Twitch followers, and Benjamin “bencb” Rolle, founder of RaiseYourEdge, have found loyal audiences by keeping the focus on high-level strategy, mindset, and the mental grind behind the game. Their content isn’t about luck of the draw or some frat boy approach to the game. It’s about control, study, and making better decisions under pressure.

Live streams like Hustler Casino Live have brought flashy hands and bold personalities to the spotlight as well, but also continue to bring new players with a new approach. But the deeper shift is in how poker is being understood and packaged for consumption on social media. It's not just content; it's showing the deeper craft. 

Poker is once again being treated as a thinking person’s game, and the audience for that game is growing steadily. It’s as if the cultural zeitgeist is quietly pitching: ‘The Queen’s Gambit — but, you know, with chips.’

Conclusion

It would be trite to say that the online poker boom of the early 2000s was set off by an amateur with a lucky satellite win and a great backstory, but there is no denying how it perfectly captured the cultural moment.

And there is a similar feeling in the air this summer. Michael Mizrachi’s complete dominance at this year’s WSOP mirrors this moment just as fully as Moneymaker’s did twenty years ago.

And it captures that shift that poker is once again being portrayed as a proving ground, not for luck, but for skill, and not for the flash or showmanship of a bygone poker era, but for the mastery and dedication of this new generation of players. No tantrums, no braggadocio, just consummate professionals showing why they are the best in the world.

Take a step back, and Mizrachi’s legacy run, MSIGA’s slow but continued expansion, and the rise and continued popularity of smart, dedicated, and strategic poker content creators all point to a new poker era, one where the game is viewed again as a mental sport and not some buffoons bluffing past each other.

And maybe, just maybe, this path forward can lead us back to poker’s past glory. All it is going to take is players, policymakers, and the online casino platforms to continue moving together in the same direction.