Nevada has approved Shuffle Master’s application for a license to offer online poker services in the state. Shuffle Master will now join the ranks of International Game Technology (IGT) and Bally Technologies, which were granted a license last month by the Nevada Gaming Association.
Shuffle Master, just like Bally Technologies and Shuffle Master, comes under the category of provider/manufacturer and will supply online poker gaming solutions.
Shuffle Master got the Nevada Gambling Commission’s approval shortly after it backed out of a deal with Bwin.party for the acquisition of Ongame Network, which is currently owned by Bwin.party. According to Gavin Isaacs, chief executive officer for Shuffle Master, the company had realized that Ongame will not deliver the expected results and will require more investment than originally estimated, owing to which it decided to back out of the deal.
Louis Castle, the Chief Strategy officer of the Shuffle Master company had this to say.
Social gaming exposes the games to the consumer. From there we want to drive those free-play customers into for-pay customers.
More than 30 gaming companies have submitted applications for licenses to offer online poker services in Nevada, and the Nevada Gambling Commission has just begun approving each of these applications. This means that Nevada is well on the way to launch intrastate online poker services either late in 2012 or early in 2013.
Paddy Power had also undergone the Nevada Gambling Commission’s suitability process, but it had not submitted any application to offer online poker gaming in Nevada. Paddy Power, an online gambling and sports betting company that has its headquarters in Ireland was going through the suitability process as the first step to expanding is gambling business in Nevada.
According to Mark Lipparelli, the Chairman of the board,
There are lingering questions and concerns on the background side. But the company has met the standard for suitability.
Since Paddy Power also owns and operates an online poker room, it doesn’t fall into the category of Shuffle Master, Bally Technologies, and IGT. However, it has not gotten into any agreements with US gambling companies. Being the leading gambling company in the UK, Paddy Power chiefly caters to the requirements of the industry.
As per the new development, Shuffle Master may have the license to outfit gambling organizations with gaming equipment. The State of Nevada is in the process of working this out and any gaming companies that associate with it are sure to benefit.
