888 Poker is reportedly in late stage talks with Caesars Entertainment Group, with the UK-based company seriously interested in attaining an online poker license in Nevada. With recent legislation, Nevada has positioned itself to license and regulate online poker sites. However, Nevada can only do so if the federal government passes a bill to legalize online poker first. Despite this, 888 Poker is taking the initiative to seek out a strategic partnerships with existing Nevada powerhouses. At this point, they are best positioned to become the first foreign poker group to attain a Nevada license, if and when the federal government passes the appropriate legislation.

A Nevada license granted to an outside provider, thanks to the history and tightly-run regulatory groups of the state, would lend gravitas and legitimacy to any brand. Caesars is the world’s largest casino company and, combined with the power of a Nevada gaming license, would provide exceptional opportunity for branding and expansion. 888 Poker is also reported to be exploring opportunities to expand into Spain. Spain is currently on the brink of legalizing online poker.

Although the United States still remains without legalization of online poker or a regulation system for the industry, it is only a matter of time before both of these are put into place. Recent attempts include the Nevada legislation and a bill put forward in the House of Representatives by Texas Rep. Joe Barton. Legalization of online poker is, thankfully, not a partisan issue, with Democrats and Republicans each supporting different ills.