Wynn Resorts Limited is a gambling mainstay in Las Vegas, and one of Nevada’s largest casino operators. Recently, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) received an application submitted by Wynn Resorts asking for approval to purchase one of the first online gaming licenses to be offered by that state. Nevada was the first state to pass legislation allowing online poker play for pay for its residents and visitors, something that was legally impossible until the United States Department of Justice reversed their opinion regarding the legality of online gaming in the United States late last year.
Just recently, the NGCB approved Bally Technologies and International Game Technology for Internet gaming licenses in that state, and the next step for both of those companies and Wynn Resorts is the June 21 meeting of the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC). If the NGC decides to grant Wynn an Internet gaming license, they would become one of the first entities in the United States to have legal access to what will be a multimillion dollar marketplace by even the most conservative estimates. Nevada is already positioned at the forefront of this new market, and any companies getting in on the ground floor will be able not only to provide a safe and reliable online poker experience for Nevada’s residents and visitors, but will also almost certainly profit considerably.
The Delaware House of Representatives just this past week approved an online gaming bill by a vote of 29 to 8, and states like California, New Jersey, Ohio and Illinois are also pushing to become the second of the United States to offer some form of online poker. Global casino players like Wynn Resorts would be positioned perfectly to provide multistate online poker experiences, and securing a Nevada Internet gaming license is the first step. Steve Wynn, CEO and head of Wynn Resorts, has been interested in online poker for some time, most recently agreeing to a deal with former online poker giant PokerStars early last year.
Wynn Resorts is not the only brick-and-mortar casino player of substance with an interest in purchasing an online gaming license in Nevada. Both MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment Corporation have applied for Internet gaming licenses in that state, and both those companies already benefit from partnerships with established online poker sites that are already running currently, and could offer Nevada residents and visitors a safe and proven online poker experience.
There are now more than thirty companies or partnerships which have applied for one of these initial Nevada Internet gaming licenses. Online gaming software manufacturers, brick-and-mortar casino operators, casino management firms and Internet technology corporations are just a few of the players hoping for a large slice of the online poker pie that Nevada poker players can provide. With an eye on the future, these companies understand that acceptance by the state that is considered the king of the brick-and-mortar gambling realm in the United States gives them immediate cachet and respectability when other states pass legislation allowing online poker and gaming. Approval for a Nevada Internet gaming license is important in Nevada, but not near as important as it is in providing the foundation for a nationwide online poker presence.