Las Vegas Sun – Internet poker hasn’t proved so far to be the bonanza some had hoped for. The first monthly report on online poker gaming win showed it exceeded only bingo compared to other casino games, slot machines and sports betting.
The state Gaming Control Board today approved applications from six companies to extend their internet poker, licenses which were to expire if the companies did not start the games online in Nevada within six months.
“People are weighing the market,” said A.G. Burnett, board chairman.
Ellen Whittemore, attorney for MGM Resorts Online – one of the companies granted an extended license – told the board it “was continuing to monitor” if the play picked up.
The gross win for the gaming companies offering interactive poker for February was $824,000, which exceeded bingo at $490,000. Burnett noted there were only three companies licensed to offer poker to Nevadans — South Point, Caesars Entertainment and Fertitta Interactive, which is tied to Station Casinos.
Jeff Silver, an attorney representing the Max in Las Vegas and the Carson Station in Carson City, told the board there were only 150 players online for the poker games at one time and 500 persons are needed.
Outside the meeting, he called it “a loser.”
To get a full-scale license for Internet poker, the state charges a $500,000 entrance fee and $250,000 a year. Silver indicated he hoped those taxes might be modified.
Still, the Max, formerly the Maxim in Las Vegas, and the Carson Station gained preliminary approval Wednesday to go forward toward a license if there are changes.
Rory Bedore, owner of the two properties, said his casinos needed to look at new ways to do business. He told the board he wanted to be in a situation to move quickly if online poker games picked up.
“I have no illusions that we would make a ton of money” but the interactive poker games would be used to as an advertisement to draw in customers.
