ACEP, WMS, PokerTrip: New Las Vegas Poker Licenses

The five-member board of the Nevada Gaming Commission awarded three new licenses, American gambling news sources report.

ACEP (American Casino and Entertainment Properties) is awarded with a license to act as an interactive gambling operator. The company owns American land casinos in Arizona, such as the Stratosphere Hotel Casino and Tower, Aquarius, Arizona Charlie’s Decatur and Arizona Charlie’s Boulder. The firm is also an online gaming operator in the Copper State.

ACEP begins with a free-to-play business to attract players, planning to switch to real-money-play based depending on its success. The company has not yet decided on its technology partner, rumors talk about the announcement of an agreement soon.

WMS Industries’ application was unanimously approved. The slot machine maker from Waukegan, Illinois received its license both as a service provider and interactive gaming system manufacturer. The interactive gaming license allows the formation of a partnership with licensed a Nevada casino operator to provide American poker rooms
in the Silver State.

Orrin J. Edidin, president of WMS commented: “Nevada is a recognized leader in gaming regulation and is moving consistently forward with rules and regulations for interactive gaming enablement and we are looking forward to providing our customers in the state with industry-leading products and services in a safe and secure online environment.”

The third approved licenser is Las Vegas-based online poker marketing affiliate PokerTrip Enterprises. The yes-vote from the Nevada Gaming Commission comes just two weeks after PokerTrip received the approval for acting as online poker affiliates from the Stage Gaming Control Board in Nevada.

Industry experts count with other poker affiliates receiving their licenses in the next few months. Nevada’s regulation already allows its citizen to play online poker. A debate is going on to change the federal American gambling laws concerning the legal status, and thus the online availability of the card game.

ACEP, WMS Gaming and PokerTrip joined the club of Nevada license holders that include South Point Poker, IGT, Bally Technologies, Monarch Interactive, Shuffle Master and Global Cash Access.