Nevada on Schedule to Issue iGaming Licenses

The Nevada Gaming Control Board issued its recommendation that Bally Technologies receive an interactive gaming license. The board met Wednesday for its first review of a license application to provide online poker and the Nevada Gaming Commission will consider the recommendation on June 21.

The Las Vegas-based slot machine manufacturer acquired its online gaming platform in February when it purchased the business-to-business platform of ChiliGaming. The deal included the integrated gambling platform as well as an experienced team of industry veterans from within the online gaming industry.

The platform can facilitate Android, iPhone and iPad application accessibility as well as browser-based flash clients, multi-platform Adobe AIR downloads and Facebook apps. It already hosts a free-play poker client for Golden Nugget and real-money play is expected on the network once operator licenses are approved.

The timing of the Nevada Gaming Commission meeting falls in line with comments made by chairman of the state Gaming Control Board Mark Lipparelli last month when he indicated that it would be at least another month before the first licenses would be issued. At that time he also stated that it would be another six months before we would see online card rooms go live.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board is scheduled to review the application of International Game Technology (IGT) on Thursday. IGT acquired the Swedish-based Entraction network for $115m back in March 2011 with plans to rename it the IGT Poker Network.