Michigan
In 1996, Michigan voters approved Proposal E, which authorized the licensing of up to three major commercial casinos directly in the city of Detroit. MGM Grand Detroit opened in July 29, 1999. MotorCity Casino launched in December 1999, and Greektown Casino, now Hollywood Casino at Greektown, followed shortly after.

Maryland
In November 2012, voters approved a massive expansion allowing dedicated poker rooms. Hollywood Casino Perryville opened the first legal poker room. Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover altered the East Coast poker landscape by opening a massive, 52-table poker room. It immediately became one of the largest poker venues outside of Las Vegas for high-stakes cash games and major tournament series like the World Poker Tour. Horseshoe Casino Baltimore then opened a $442-million urban casino featuring the World Series of Poker and the MGM National Harbor opened a luxury resort right outside Washington D.C.

Pennsylvania
Casino poker became a reality in July 2010, when the state amended its laws to allow retail casinos to offer table games. Venues like Mohegan Pennsylvania and Harrah's Philadelphia quickly opened dedicated card rooms. Parx Casino in Bensalem emerged as the premier live poker hub in the state.

Massachusetts
In November 2011, the Expanded Gaming Act into law and created the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) which authorized up to three destination resort casinos. In August 2018, MGM Springfield opened its doors as the state's first resort casino, debuting a 23-table live poker room. June 2019, Wynn Resorts opened the $2.1 billion Encore Boston Harbor in Everett with a 74-table luxury poker room.

Illinois
In June 2019, Illinois passed a massive gambling expansion bill that changed the state's poker trajectory. The bill authorized a mega-casino right in the heart of downtown Chicago. Bally's Chicago opened a temporary facility at the Medinah Temple in 2023, with its permanent multi-billion dollar resort slated to feature a major live poker room upon its full completion.