Historic Online Poker License in Nevada Awarded to South Point Casino

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012, found South Point Hotel and Casino receiving an interactive gaming license from the Nevada Gaming Commission. The interactive gaming license allows South Point to operate, manufacture, and serve as a service provider of interactive gaming systems in Nevada. This is an historic event since the license puts South Point in a position to offer the first legal, real-money online poker site in the history of the United States.

Once the online poker room's technology is approved by gaming regulators and an independent testing lab, Mark Gaughan, South Point CEO, plans to have the online poker room fully operational by October. South Point's online gaming platform is unique in that it has its own interactive gaming system and a patent for the technology is pending.

A free play online poker room at SouthPointPoker.com was launched late last year by Gaughan. New software will kick off the real-money site with social media elements built into it.

Four companies have received an interactive gaming license in the state of Nevada but South Point's license is unique since its operation is ran in-house and there will be no need to partner with a third-party operator.

Interactive gaming licenses were awarded to Bally Technologies, IGT and Shuffle Master earlier this year. These three companies will serve as business-to-business providers and will open the door to Nevada casinos that want to step into the competitive market by providing online poker and other interactive games.

Casino giants Caesars Interactive Entertainment and MGM are among the more than 30 other companies that have submitted similar applications to the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). On September 6th, 2012, Caesars is reportedly scheduled for a meeting with the three-member NGCB for preliminary license approval.

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