Hills and IGT receive Nevada recommendations
Applications recommended for approval by state's Gaming Control Board - will now go before Nevada Gaming Commission.
William Hill and International Game Technology (IGT) have become the latest Nevada licence applicants to have their applications recommended for approval by the Silver State’s Gaming Control Board (GCB) following separate hearings last night.
The two parties follow Bally in receiving approval from the GCB, with the gaming machines manufacturer announcing yesterday that it had become the first to pass this step in the licensing process.
Both Hills and IGT will now go before the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) at its June 21 meeting, which is also when the application from Bally will be discussed.
IGT chief executive Patti Hart said the company was “honoured” to become one of the first software providers to be recommended for a Nevada licence, adding: “This important step will allow IGT to better support our customers as they expand their offerings to their players to include interactive wager based entertainment.”
Today’s news comes around one year after the company agreed to purchase poker network Entraction – since renamed IGT Poker – for close to £70m, and four months after it acquired social casino Double Down Interactive for US$500m.
Meanwhile William Hill’s recommendation for approval follows its acquisition of a number of Nevada-facing sportsbooks over the last 14 months.
In April 2011 the London-listed operator paid a combined US$39m (£23.9m) for the American Wagering and Cal Neva sportsbooks, while the following month it agreed to acquire Brandywine Bookmaking – which operates in Nevada and Delaware – for an undisclosed amount.
Hills’ Nevada application had looked under threat earlier this year, with delays caused by the GCB carrying out investigations into associated personnel including head of strategy and corporate development Robin Chhabra. This, along with an examination of the operator’s ties with Playtech, had threatened its early appearance on the GCB agenda.
If it receives NGC approval later this month William Hill will have the green light to create its Nevada-based subsidiary William Hill U.S. Holdco Inc., under which land-based, online and mobile operations will be consolidated.
In an interview with Nevada newspaper the Las Vegas Review-Journal, American Wagering’s senior vice president business development and public affairs John English said the recommendation “Marks the start of a great future for William Hill in the state of Nevada.”