For a few years now, 888 Holdings and Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE) have worked together in the United States to bring quality online poker and casino gaming to players. The agreement includes a host of services, but most people know it for the poker client provided for the World Series of Poker Brand. Just a few days ago, the two companies announced an extension of their agreement has been signed, so players can look forward to many more years of quality gaming options in the US.
Moving Forward
As the exclusive B2B poker partner of CIE, 888 plans to offer its services in newly-regulated markets in the future. As more states begin to focus on online gambling, 888 will be able to provide services in new states after obtaining regulatory approval. The company is excited to move forward and work on its long-term development strategy in the US.
The first time that 888 and CIE began working together was in 2013. Just one year later and 888 was the official sponsor of the WSOP series in Las Vegas. The brand has continued to be the sponsor year after year for the live events.
One aspect of the deal that is quite exciting is the launch of a brand new Poker 8 client. The US market will gain access to the market this year, after it launched in Europe back in October of last year. The new client will be a completely new option for players, including new graphics and functionality. The platform will be available via desktop and mobile devices.
To celebrate the new launch before it even dropped, 888 began offering promotions at the end of last year. An example of this is the Made To Play mobile app, which provided gift drops, freerolls, happy hours, and more.
With the new app, players will finally have access to multi-flight and multi-day tournament options with the WSOP client. 888 will also provide platform services for the CIE online casino brands. We expect that the WSOP app will launch in Pennsylvania at some point, extending the services of the WSOP app farther than just New Jersey and Nevada.
CIE does have a license to operate in the Keystone State. Press releases of the company have hinted that they plan to launch in Pennsylvania.
What About Michigan?
The next state to launch online gambling services in the US is Michigan. The Gaming Control Board of the state just issued a few licenses to operators, but 888 and CIE were not among those named. It is unclear as to if the operators are looking to enter the state, but there is little doubt that they are not.
However, online poker seems to be on the backburner in Michigan. This week, the state will start offering online sports betting and casino gaming. Poker services will not be in the mix. Yet the announcement by 888/CIE does indicate that they are working on launching in other states soon, which would put Michigan as a contender.
