Three more companies are seeking approval this week to operate online poker in Nevada.
Recommendations by the Nevada Gaming Control Board are expected Wednesday on the suitability of interactive gaming license applicants Boyd Gaming, Golden Nugget and Fertitta Interactive.
Having already inked a deal with the bwin.party subsidiary BP Gaming Entertainment Inc., Boyd Gaming is seeking an operator and service provider license.
Boyd maintains three downtown Las Vegas casinos—the California and Fremont Hotels and Main Street Station—along with Sam’s Town, the Gold Coast and Suncoast and a 50 percent share of The Borgata in Atlantic City.
Golden Nugget (GNLV Corp.) applied for a license to operate online poker and has an existing pact with Bally Technologies, which has been approved to supply online poker network infrastructure for other clients.
Fertitta applied for a license to operate as an online gaming service provider and looks to provide real-money online poker under the Ultimate Gaming brand.
About a year ago, Fertitta Interactive purchased software provider CyberArts. The principal owners of Vegas-based Fertitta own a 45% share in Station Casinos.
Late last month, the commission granted licenses to the technology firm WMS Gaming Inc. and American Casino & Entertainment Properties, which owns Stratosphere, Aquarius and Arizona Charlie’s.
Should Fertitta, Golden Nugget and Boyd receive approval, that would bring the total online poker licenses to 11 including Shuffle Master, International Game Technology, South Point Poker, Monarch Interactive, Bally Technologies, Global Cash Access.
Sometime this fall, South Point casino is expected to launch Nevada’s first intrastate real-money online poker room.
