Golden Nugget launches GoldenNugget.com online poker room

This week saw the launch of the first US-based online poker room owned and operated by a US-based casino, GoldenNugget.com owned by the Golden Nugget. The launch of the online poker website (which will begin its existence as a free-play poker site) was announced via a press release:

HOUSTON, June 28, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — Golden Nugget, Inc. and Landry’s, Inc. are proud to announce the launch of the Golden Nugget online free play poker website, GoldenNuggetPoker.com. The website will enable players to participate in free online poker games and tournaments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

GoldenNuggetPoker.com will offer a wide range of exclusive tournaments and promotions, including cash prizes, gift cards to famous Landry’s restaurant brands such as Morton’s Steakhouse, Chart House, Oceanaire, McCormick & Schmick’s, Rainforest Cafe, Bubba Gump and Saltgrass Steakhouse, free hotel stays at Golden Nugget Casinos and Resorts nationwide, tickets to  shows and much more.  According to the Company’s Chairman, President and CEO Tilman J. Fertitta, “We have launched a free internet site in anticipation of the legalization of online gaming in the United States. With combined revenues of over $2.5 billion for Golden Nugget and Landry’s, GoldenNuggetPoker.com will be able to reach over 60 million customers annually.”

Golden Nugget and Landry’s are utilizing Bally Technologies’ iGaming platform to create GoldenNuggetPoker.com, which is a proven technology that has been successfully and securely used in Europe where online gaming is allowed in most jurisdictions. Golden Nugget’s free play poker network already enjoys on average over 25,000 players a day, which is believed to be significantly more than any other domestic gaming company. Golden Nugget filed its online gaming application in February of this year with the state of Nevada and anticipates that it will be among the first interactive gaming operators to be approved in the state.

With online poker licenses being approved in Nevada, it’s expected that many other online poker providers (or land-based casinos that have partnered with online poker providers) will start launching their own online rooms, hoping to build-up a solid player base prior to the real-money launch expected to happen by the end of the year.

As Nevada gears up to be the guinea pig for legalized online poker in the US it will be extremely important that the launch is as smooth as possible as virtually every state legislature will be watching to see how residents react to online poker and how many players these sites attract; what type of revenue it brings in to the state; and of course what problems Nevada faces as the wrinkles are worked out.