IGT and Bally get Nevada license for online gaming

The US Justice Department last year declared that only online betting on sporting contests is unlawful, which experts say will allow states to unilaterally legalize some forms of online gambling in 2012, from lotteries to poker.

IGT and Bally said in separate statements that the licenses would allow them to partner with Nevada's casinos to provide online poker and other interactive games through their machines.

Consulting firm H2 Gambling Capital has forecast that Internet betting operators will win more than us$ 35 billion globally from gamblers this year. It estimates that for online poker, just 37 percent of an estimated 2011 total of nearly us$ 5 billion took place within regulated markets.

“We are grateful to the State of Nevada for this opportunity,” said Bally Technologies’ CEO Richard Haddrill. “We look forward to Bally expanding its leadership role in this exciting new arena of online gaming.”

At the NGCB’s meeting today, board members unanimously approved Bally Technologies for a license to act as an interactive gaming system manufacturer and service provider. This enables Bally to provide business-to-business iGaming solutions for the state’s casino operators, including wager-based online poker.

Bally is offering its iGaming platform technology and content to casino operators. The Company’s iGaming platform features an open architecture, which enables operators to choose from best-of-breed content from a multitude of providers. The iGaming platform is also designed for mobile integration and is ready to accommodate online wagering beyond poker, such as casino table games, video slots, bingo, social, and sports wagering when authorized.

Bally expects to make incremental investments in its interactive division during fiscal 2013 and beyond to ensure leadership in business-to-business iGaming support for the casino industry.

“This is an exciting day for interactive wager-based gaming," said Patti Hart, IGT chief executive officer. "We are honored to be granted the opportunity to support our customers as they further expand their operations to include online play in the State of Nevada."

With over a decade of interactive gaming experience, including being the only American supplier to operate a poker network today, IGT is primed to become the provider of choice for its customers in Nevada as plans for online poker moves forward in the state. Now that the NGC has made its ruling, next steps will include the technical approval of the IGT poker product.