Nevada was the first state in the US to legalize online poker within its state boundaries. And Delaware just this past Thursday became the first state to ever pass legislation allowing comprehensive online casino gaming, including keno, slots, blackjack, poker and other traditional casino table game offerings, as well as betting on NFL football games. And to position themselves nationally in a favorable stance to cash in on the newfound legality of online gambling and poker play in many of the US states, Tilman Fertitta’s Golden Nugget Inc. and Landry’s Inc. just this week launched GoldenNuggetPoker.com, an online poker website that offers “free play” gaming.

It is no coincidence that this site uses Bally Technologies’ iGaming platform which is already currently in use in Europe and other countries. Bally was one of the first two applicants to receive a license to offer online interactive gaming for poker in Nevada just two weeks ago. Fertitta stated that in partnering up with Bally, Golden Nugget already has an officially licensed online poker partner in their pocket, making the eventual transition to “pay for play” poker on this online gaming platform a smooth one. Fertitta is the CEO and owner of Landry’s, and also the President, Chairman and CEO of Golden Nugget.

In its infancy, the website is already attracting more than 25,000 players each day, and both companies estimate that number is well above average when compared to other US-based gaming operations. Their goal is to have more than 16 million customers a year playing on the new site, according to the statement released to the press. This will certainly help the Golden Nugget in its bid to become one of the next interactive gaming license holders in Nevada, and they applied for that online gaming application in February. Fertitta said in a statement released back when they first applied for the Nevada online gaming license that, “We believe that online gaming is inevitable in the U.S. and that the Golden Nugget will be well positioned to compete when U.S. laws allow for online gaming.”

The three Golden Nugget Hotels and Casinos that Fertitta operates are located in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Laughlin, Nevada and Las Vegas, Nevada. Also, an unnamed hotel and casino in Biloxi, Mississippi acquired in March of this year is currently being transitioned to the Golden Nugget chain and brand. This is not the first move by a Fertitta family member into interactive online gaming. Fertitta Interactive, LLC owns the Ultimate Fighting Championship entity as well as the Station Casinos in Vegas, with Fertitta family members owning much of the company.

Fertitta Interactive recently announced the launch of Ultimate Poker Friday on Facebook as a socially interactive poker game for free play. In that same announcement they revealed that they are launching the new Ultimate Poker Casino, a virtual poker room that can be accessed by Nevada residents, vacationers and visitors as long as they are on the grounds of any Station Casino in Las Vegas.

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