888 may apply for Nevada online poker license

[The Buzz]

A report on Bloomberg.com says U.K.-based online poker company 888 Holdings is exploring the idea of applying for an online poker license in Nevada.

The report also says the company is in "advanced stages" in talks about partnerships with casino giant Caesars Entertainment.

From Bloomberg:

U.K. gambling companies are looking to lock up deals in the U.S. as states including Nevada and California consider Internet gambling. U.K. bookmaker William Hill Plc (WMH) agreed to buy three companies to offer sports bets, which are legal in Nevada. 888 was licensed by Nevada for software services after it signed an agreement in 2009 with Caesars, formerly known as Harrah’s.

“We would love to do it with them,” Mattingley said in a telephone interview. He said 888 would decide whether to try for the Internet poker license by “mid-autumn.”

Last month, Nevada passed a law that permits Internet poker if the federal government also approves it.

[nsawins]

This is interesting. Steve Wynn was on the verge of partnering up with Poker Stars before the Poker Stars site was shutdown and now we learn Ceasars is potentially partnering up with 888. I believe BoDog will also want in and maybe that's why they have decided to take their BoDog brand out of the US market after Dec 31st. Could that be a master stroke to reenter by partnering up with a Las Vegas Casino next year? Interesting.

I wonder who MGM Resorts International and Las Vegas Sands Corp would partner with? You have to figure BoDog would want in and considering how BIG their brand is in the US market for online players that some big Las Vegas Casino operator would have them atop their list. Very interesting.