Nevada GCB approves Boyd and Fertitta for online poker
Both companies will find out if they will obtain operator licence at Gaming Commission hearing on 18 October.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) has approved the online poker licence applications of Station Casinos and Boyd Gaming’s online businesses.
In the first meeting since former GCB chairman Mark Lipparelli stepped down from his role, both Fertitta Interactive and Boyd Gaming were recommended for approval when their applications are to be heard by the state’s Gaming Commission on 18 October.
If the Gaming Commission gives them the green light, both operators must then await approval of their respective technology before launching an online poker site.
Boyd has partnered with European operator bwin.party for online poker in Nevada. In a three-way deal with MGM Resorts signed in October last year, the partners will “jointly offer” online poker, while Boyd also entered a separate 15-year agreement to use bwin.party’s technology platform and associated services to offer online poker to US players under a brand developed by Boyd Gaming, should federal law be passed.
Meanwhile Fertitta Interactive, controlled by the founders of the Station Casinos group, acquired game developer CyberArts this time last year and has since established its Ultimate Gaming brand and announced the launch of freeplay poker game Ultimate Poker on Facebook. A real-money money version of the game will follow as soon as its gaming technology is signed off by an independent testing lab (ITL).
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Boyd Gaming executive vice president Bob Boughner told the GCB the operator currently has “one-and-a-half” employees dedicated to online poker operations, but planned to increase that number to 20 to 30 once the system goes live.
So far only three operator licences have been awarded by the Nevada Gaming Commission, with last month’s approval for American Casino Entertainment Properties (ACEP) seeing the Stratosphere owner join Monarch Interactive and South Point Poker in being given the green light to offer online poker in the jurisdiction.