GVC might be looking to bring its online poker brand to Nevada; gaming commissioners to rule on the company’s license application today
Nevada gaming commissioners are heading into a busy day as the agenda of today’s meeting of the state gambling regulator is packed with matters that require difficult decisions to be made.
One of these matters is the application of GVC Holdings for an online sports betting and online gaming license. The gambling powerhouse, which last year acquired British bookmaker Ladbrokes Coral and in 2016, purchased bwin.party Digital Entertainment, is now seeking to extend its regulated presence into the Nevada gambling market.
Last year, GVC formed a 50:50 joint venture with MGM Resorts International for the creation of a sports betting and online gaming platform in the US. The two companies are now looking to bring the Roar Digital JV to Nevada, the only state where sports betting had been legal before last year’s SCOTUS ruling that struck down a federal ban on the practice and paved the way for its legalization in multiple other states.
GVC and MGM are also seeking authorization to provide online gaming in Nevada. And online gaming basically means online poker in that state. The online operation of the WSOP practically holds the monopoly over online poker in Nevada, but if gaming commissioners give the nod to GVC and its US partner, the local digital gaming landscape could soon change.
Could partypoker Soon Come to Nevada?
The online gaming portion of GVC’s application hints at the fact that the gambling giant could be gearing up to introduce its partypoker brand to Nevada’s regulated market. Partypoker was forced to leave the United States back in 2006 when the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed.
The brand was later on able to return to a limited extent. Partypoker entered New Jersey’s regulated market through a partnership with MGM’s Borgata casino resort in Atlantic City. If its owner gets the nod from Nevada regulators to launch online poker in the state, that would gain partypoker an important competitive edge over its archnemesis PokerStars, which is forbidden from obtaining a license in Nevada because it continued to service US players after the implementation of UIGEA.
However, partypoker’s return to Nevada is not likely to be a smooth ride. WSOP’s online poker site has cemented itself in the state long ago and it would probably take time and a lot of clever marketing effort until GVC’s poker operation secures the necessary brand awareness among poker aficionados.
The Nevada Gaming Commission takes up GVC’s license application after the Gaming Control Board recommended the operator’s licensing in the state earlier this month. However, GVC barely moved past the board as its three members cast a rare split 2-1 vote.
Terry Johnson was the board member who voted against GVC’s bid to go live in Nevada through the MGM joint venture, arguing that the gambling operator had not done enough to prevent its brands from operating in Turkey where gambling is illegal.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on the day’s top casino news stories.
