Just recently the popular slot machine developers, International Game Technology (IGT) and Bally Technologies became the first companies that received online gaming licenses in the whole of Nevada. Both these companies, who are rivals in the business met the Nevada Gaming Commission separately, and were both unanimously approved for the license, which permits them to provide services for poker operators on the internet.

Details on the license approval 

Over 30 companies applied for the license approval in Nevada out of which Bally and IGT are the first to have gotten it. In December 2011, Nevada was the first state in the United States to approve regulations regarding online poker, which paved the way for companies to provide the game at an intrastate level.

Bally Technologies received their license approval first and they are to provide other interactive games apart from online poker to casinos in Nevada, that are seeking to compete in the market. In the beginning of June 2012, Aristocrat Technologies Inc. and Bally announced their partnership with Shuffle Master in order to develop a joint iGaming platform.

Under this alliance, Aristocrat Technologies and Bally Technologies will make arrangements with some of the industry’s top poker providers, which will then be meshed into their iGaming platforms. The companies revealed that they have already begun progressive discussions with numerous poker providers.

Richard Haddrill, CEO Bally Technologies stated that this teaming up will enable the companies to integrate and source with the strongest internet poker product that is designed especially for this market, which will help customers retain their leadership in online and land based casinos. The games will initially be offered in the free play mode, hoping for the legalization of online gaming in the whole of United States.

Moving forward, Bally will now get their technology tested by the state and board before it can offer real money games. Once this is done, the casinos will have to get license approval from Nevada’s Gaming Commission.

Haddrill also conveyed the company’s regard for the State of Nevada for giving them this opportunity of online gaming. He added that Bally is looking forward to expanding its leadership role in online gaming, which is a new arena.

IGT is also looking to partner with casino operators in Nevada to offer online poker to players. The CEO of IGT, Patti Hart stated that it is exciting for wager-based gaming that is interactive. He added that IGT is honored with the opportunity to back up their clients as they expand further to include online gaming in Nevada.

U.S Department of Justice’s role

Last year, the U.S Department of Justice released a memo that answered inquiries from New York and Illinois, regarding the effect of the Wire Act on online lottery ticket sales intrastate. The memo found that the Wire Act only applied to sports betting, which spelled victory for the internet poker industry as it suggested that online poker does not violate the Wire Act.