888 RECOMMENDED FOR NEVADA LICENSING


Thursday March 7, 2013 : 888 RECOMMENDED FOR NEVADA LICENSING
 
The war of words between Pokerstars and the AGA has little impact on 888's application
 
The top European online gambling software developer and operator 888 could soon be as well known in the United States as it is at home, with partnerships with three major US companies with online ambitions in Nevada, and a recommendation from the Nevada Gaming Control Board awarded Wednesday.
 
888 has partnership agreements in place with land operators Caesars Entertainment (for a WSOP online site), WMS Gaming and Treasure Island, and it was with the latter that 888 representatives appeared before the NGCB on Wednesday, winning a recommendation to the Nevada Gaming Commission that it award licensing at its March 21 meeting.
 
The recommendation covers licensing as a manufacturer of an interactive gaming system; as a distributor and as an interactive gaming service provider.
 
Las Vegas-based Treasure Island, which like WMS and Caesars has online poker ambitions in Nevada, was also approved. If the recommendations are followed by the NGC, 888 and Treasure Island will become the 20th and 21st Nevada online poker licensees.
 
NGCB members listened attentively as 888 representatives went through the extensive technology precautions necessary to ensure that underage and problem gamblers are excluded, the geographic location of players is determined, collusion eliminated and tight monetary transaction requirements are applied.
 
Against the backdrop of the growing war of words between the American Gaming Association and Pokerstars-the Rational Group, the Board noted that 888 had pulled out of the US market when the UIGEA came into force in 2006, bringing it into compliance with the new Nevada online poker law.
 
Service provider licenses were also awarded to Player Verify of Tennessee and XYVerify of New York – companies involved with problem player self-exclusions and geolocation services.