SPORTINGBET IN POKER J.V. WITH U.S. LAND CASINO COMPANY

Saturday October 8, 2011 : Foxwoods and Sportingbet decline to comment on strong rumours of an intrastate deal in Connecticut
 
The respected online poker information website PokerUpdate is reporting a potentially exciting new US poker joint venture between veteran European internet gambling group Sportingbet plc and Foxwoods Resort Casino, a land gambling enterprise owned by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe.
 
The site references its report to the publication EGR, and claims that Sportingbet is expected shortly to announce a joint venture with Foxwoods to provide free-to-play intrastate online poker and casino games in Connecticut.
 
It is understood that any agreement between the parties will be conditional on the approval of both state regulators and other tribal gaming groups.
 
If the report is true, the deal is the latest in a series of free-to-play moves involving major US gambling companies this week (see previous InfoPowa reports), as speculation mounts that American firms are positioning themselves for the future legalization of at least online poker in the United States.
 
Sportingbet is in the happy position of having cleared its legal slate with the US Department of Justice, with which it settled for over $30 million earlier this year in respect of online gambling activities in the United States pre-UIGEA.
 
PokerUpdate says that according to sources close to the deal, Sportingbet bested GTech G2 and Betsson in pitching for the partnership, on which both Foxwoods and Sportingbet have declined to comment.
 
http://pokerupdate.com/news/law-and-legalization/sportingbet-to-announce-foxwoods-venture/