The reasons have not been fully explained, and the motivation is not yet clear, but according to a growing number of player posts on leading poker forums like twoplustwo, it appears that the Merge poker network is excluding both new sign ups and existing players who come from the states of New Jersey and Delaware.
Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware are the three US states that have thus far legalised online poker.
Without giving adequate reasons for the decision, a spokesman for the top Merge skin, Carbon Poker, confirmed the new policy, saying it had been implemented after long and careful consideration. The only rationale given was “state restrictions.”
There is speculation that Merge has been scared off by the legislative provisions in both Delaware and New Jersey that make operating an unlicensed online gambling site specifically an offence.