Land-based companies eye online poker in U.S.

[The Buzz]

The mainstream media has churned out a lot of stories since the DOJ's surprising change of heart regarding the the Wire Act. Reuters published a piece this week about land-based casino companies getting ready for regulated online gambling. The usual suspects like Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts are mentioned. However, the story is led by Shuffle Master's chief strategy officer explaining how his company is well-prepared for anything that should come its way.

From Reuters:

Louis Castle has been preparing for this moment for months.

Even before the Justice Department effectively gave the green light for states to legalize online gambling, the Shuffle Master Inc chief strategy officer had assembled a design team for a multiplayer gaming platform, kicked off a hiring plan, and made preparations to launch the company's maiden interactive division this year.

"Come February, you'll see a lot of activity in Nevada around legal online gaming. Some people will jump, we'll certainly be ready," said Castle, who joined Shuffle Master in October from Zynga. "The question is which companies will want to go first.

"It's just got accelerated. 2012 is going to be a banner year in many ways."

[maxpot]

Will be especially interesting to see how his former employer (Zynga) reacts to the increasing momentum for regulation in the US.