Wynn announces partnership to expand Internet gambling

Wynn Resorts on Thursday announced a partnership with PokerStars, a company that operates online poker games, saying the two companies would work toward the passage of federal legislation to regulate gambling on the Internet.

If federal regulation passes, Wynn Resorts plans to launch PokerStarsWynn.com, to be based in the U.S., the company said.

"After much study, we are convinced that the lack of regulation of Internet gaming within the U.S. must change," Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn said in a statement. "We must recognize that this activity is occurring and that law enforcement does not have the tools to stop it. As a company that has safely conducted gaming in the U.S. for more than 40 years, we believe that the same can be done for poker on the Internet."

Mark Scheinberg, chairman and founder of PokerStars, said his company is regulated in many European countries.

"(PokerStars) has been endorsing the adoption of the same approach in the United States for years, with this alliance representing a critical step in that direction," Scheinberg said in a statement. "We are excited about the opportunities that partnering with Wynn, a pioneering leader and innovator in gaming, will present for PokerStars in the United States."

Also on Thursday, Nevada legislators heard testimony on Assembly Bill 258, a bill being sought by PokerStars that would open the door for state-regulated online poker in the Silver State. The Nevada Resort Association, whose website does not list Wynn as a partner resort, opposes the bill.

Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign have pushed for federal regulation of online poker. The most recent bill in front of Congress, floated in December, fell flat.

Gaming

Share