Phil Ivey-backed Virtue Gaming brings online poker back to USA

Decentralised online poker platform Virtue Gaming has launched a digital online casino in the United States in a move that could be a catalyst for a wider resurgence across North America.

Virtue Gaming is backed by renowned professional poker player Phil Ivey, who is accompanied by Dan Colman and Brian Rast as the Virtue Poker team pros.

The regulatory situation around online poker in the US remains a concern, with just six states (Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan) having legalised online poker.

Virtue Poker plans to solve this issue by launching a play-to-earn system that is based around Virtual Player Points (VPPs).

Upon sign-up, players will be credited with 500 VPPs, which can eventually be cashed out to USD Tether (USDT), once tournament and cash game playing requirements are met.

Players can top up their accounts with a number of Ethereum-based tokens that will be locked into the platform’s smart contract.

While Virtue Gaming remains in its infancy, its launch provides a key example of how cryptocurrencies can be used to play online poker in heavily regulated regions like the United States.

The crossover between poker and cryptocurrency has been clear to see over the past year, with a number of high roller events accepting Bitcoin as a buy-in, including the $1 million tournament at BTC Miami.

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