This week, the Nevada Gaming Commission gave its final approval to Ultimate Poker, the first and only legal poker website in the US.
Subsidiary of Station Casinos, Ultimate Gaming’s Ultimate Poker, became the first company in the country to offer legal and secure online bets for real money.
The company completed its trial run on July 11.
Ultimate Gaming co-founder and chairman, Tom Breitling said:
“From the Nevada perspective, it’s a very important moment in that it proves that the technology works. If it works in Nevada, we know that it can work in other states.”
The 9 million hands of poker that have been dealt since the launch of Ultimate Poker demonstrates the “pent-up demand” for it.
Breitling expects that between $50 and $100 million in revenue could be generated within the industry’s first year.
Online poker players are subject to restrictions. Players must be located within Nevada state lines and be at least 21 years of age. Ultimate Poker will use a player’s cell phone to verify their geographic location, protect their information, and offer gameplay enhancements.
According to Breitling, Ultimate Gaming will soon be looking for a partner in the Northern Nevada market.
Nevada leads the country in approving online gaming, but New Jersey and Delaware are also planning to launch full-scale online casino gambling.
“Nevada is a small state population-wise in the grand scheme of things, but it’s the most relevant state because it took the bold step in being first,” Breitling says.
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