BetMGM has emerged as a leader in the online gaming industry, but it could soon take an even bigger step in the online poker scene. MGM Resorts recently asked the Nevada Gaming Control Board to extend its interactive license, and it could lead to a huge move.
Entain is working with BetMGM in order to launch an online poker site in Nevada, and it appears that things are trending in the right direction. The NGCB granted Entain a license to use the partypoker software, and that will allow BetMGM to offer an online poker room.
There is still another big hurdle that must be climbed, and a decision on that will be coming on May 16th. The NGCB will officially vote on whether or not to issue Bwin.Party a service provider license, which is a must if BetMGM can go live.
BetMGM is the online arm of MGM Resorts International, and that is a company that has had a ton of success in Nevada for decades. Adding online poker would be the next logical step for BetMGM, and it would allow it to stay among the leaders in the state.
A Long Time Coming
This is not the first time that this idea has been floated around by those that live in Nevada, and the industry has expected this move for years. Things are finally starting to take shape, but it does look like this new online poker site would still be at least one year away.
BetMGM and Entain have always wanted to get into the online poker scene, but it’s not as easy as adding that game to the online site. The NGCB has extended the online license for BetMGM 14 times now, and this most recent extension could prove to be the most important.
Entain will have to work a bit harder in order to get a service provider license, but there is nothing that should stand in the way of that taking place. BetMGM has also made it clear that it plans to improve and update the online sportsbook first, and that will keep the online poker site on the back burner for awhile.
Leaders from Entain continue to maintain that there is no truth to the rumors that an online poker site is coming, but everything is lining up to make that happen.
Questions Need Answered
The NGCB has some questions for Entain that need to be answered first as that company was recently in some trouble in the UK. Entain was forced to pay a massive penalty after there were some allegations that the company accepted some bribes in order to obtain a license.
Leaders from this company continued to maintain that there have been some changes made since those mistakes were made, but it’s unclear what the NGCB decided to believe.
This company has also moved out of several other countries were these allegations came from, and are instead focusing on working with companies that have a better reputation.
