After a period of discussion, the Nevada Gaming Commission has approved a partnership between Caesar’s Interactive Entertainment and the Gibraltar-based 888 Holdings. The two companies have been doing business since last year, when their Dragonfish independent division signed on to provide websites for the World Series of Poker and Harrah’s Interactive.
It’s a meeting of two of the biggest entities in their respective niches of the gambling business, with 888’s online prowess now meeting the land-based Caesar’s in an effort to help the later’s internet endeavors. This marks the first occasion in which a regulating body has allowed major dealings to take place between a brick-and-mortar casino and a foreign company heavily invested in the internet gambling business.
The specifics of the deal are complicated, but state officials felt comfortable enough to OK the pairing under the Nevada Foreign Gaming Act. 888 confirmed this point in a (somewhat convoluted) recent statement:
“The application relates to state law in Nevada that covers Nevada gaming companies conducting gaming outside the state of Nevada.”
“We are pleased with the successful outcome of this review by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission,” said 888’s Gigi Levy. “We look forward to our continued relationship with Caesars.”
Though the goings-on have taken place inside US borders, the nation’s players remain barred from participation. Currently, in fact, the Dragonfish-run websites are available only to citizens of the UK. There is hope that this could change, however, if Nevada’s legislature approves their intra-state online gambling bill.
Now, with their foot already in the door, 888 and Caesar’s could be among the first sites to gain a license in the event that such a move would come to pass.