The online poker rivalry between Stations Casinos and Caesars Interactive is like a boxing match
It's a Celebrity Deathmatch: A new verbal feud between Nevada's Stations Casinos and Caesars Interactive. Not long ago, World Series of Poker managing director Ty Stewart enthused: "I think the market is ready for a best-in-class product," alluding to the somewhat ignominious launch of Stations Casinos' online gambling site UltimatePoker . The first legal one in the Silver State. The new poker site has experienced some glitches, from a questionable third-party provider to dealing two spades on a cash game flop to annoying Verizon customers due to software interface issues that weren't verified. oops.
An error occurred when Caesar software went online
The 2013 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is quickly approaching and it's Stations' turn. As Caesar's own WSOP-branded poker site was announced to launch during the series, the site mistakenly went live briefly before all licensing issues were resolved. In the clean new world of regulated, legal online poker, this is a big no-no. Players were allowed access to the real money sections of gaming sites for a short period of time, giving stations ample opportunity to fight back. Take it, you tyrant!
The error was quickly discovered, and Caesars shut down the site and like a good boy reported the error to Nevada gaming authorities. No doubt this hasn't stopped some smug grins from those at the station, who can now stick their tongues out at their competitors and say: "See, it's not that easy, is it, smart fellas?"
Contestants compete against each other
Since these are the two main competitors in Nevada's lucrative online poker market, you can expect more divisions to emerge as the company builds its brand and reputation. So far, in addition to the historical footnote of first place, Stations also includes Antonio Esfandiari, a long-time poker pro who surpassed himself in the Big One for One Drop tournament last year, winning $18,346,673; of course, Caesars has its own in-house celebrities with its WSOP-exclusive brand. Talk about entering the market with some visibility.
Where is everyone else in this market that every land-based casino wants to participate in? To date, Nevada has nearly 24 interactive gaming and technology provider licenses, where are the others?
Part of the challenge lies in the neonatal regulatory process itself; while land-based gambling is used to considering pros and cons, online poker is a whole new world for gamblers, operators and regulators alike. Ultimate Gaming chairman Tom Breitling said his company had to submit more than 100,000 pages of reports to government regulators and have its software tested by numerous independent testing labs to gain approval. Now Caesars realizes that going green online isn't that easy.
Meanwhile, other players such as MGM Resorts International and Boyd Gaming are waiting at the starting line. Please wear a mask.
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Source: www.casino.org
