As we have been reporting the U.S. online gambling market has never been so active in light of the Justice Department’s new stance on the Wire Act of 1961 which in effect opens up the possibility of legalizing online gambling in the lucrative U.S. market.
Scratchcardsare set to get a massive boost with what seems to be the impending legalization of online scratch games in the U.S. For years people in the UK and Europe have had access to this lucrative market yet if the US legalizes online gambling again it will take this industry to new levels.
Fertitta Interactive is the latest company to apply to the Nevada Gaming Control Board to for an online poker license. Fertitta is the third company to apply to Nevada for an independent gaming license.
The Fertitta brothers are not new to the online poker world as they had entered into an agreement with Full Tilt Poker to launch a U.S based poker site. This all came to an end on Black Friday when the federal authorities closed all US poker sites down.
It is no coincidence that Fertitta Interactive is getting more involved in the industry. They currently own the UFC which is the fastest growing sport in the world. The connection between the ever popular Mixed Martial Arts sports and scratch games is clear as both are global pastimes of millions of people globally.
Fertitta Interactive has realized that scratchcard games are just as part of social culture as popular sports.
Scratchcard site operators have long been aware of this fact as many of the games such as Crazy Ball are sports based.
Lorenzo Fertitta stated,” Nevada has always been the leader in gaming regulation and we’re pleased to file our application here. Our goal is to provide customers with the best online gaming experience in a safe and well-regulated online environment.”
The Fertitta brothers are well known in the gambling industry and are owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand. Fertitta Interactive recently acquired software provider CyberArts in 2011 and are placing themselves to be one of the major players in the online gambling market.
CyberArts is currently supplying its Poker software to the free play site PurePlay poker.Fertitta Interactive is the latest of twelve other major casinos who have applied for gaming licenses.
These include MGM Resorts, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment and others. Many major software providers such as 888 Holdings, IGT,Bally Technologies and Cantor Gaming have also applied for gaming licenses.
Fertitta’s latest move strengthens the general trend of Las Vegas gaming companies who believe that a regulated and legal online gambling market is going to happen.
The scratchcard market has the advantage of being considered a softer form of online gambling. Many people who otherwise would not gamble are attracted to online scratchcards as they are a socially enjoyable past time with no particular expertise need to start playing the various scratch games.
Other interesting developments reinforcing the current optimistic mood in Las Vegas include Caesars Interactive and partner 888 Holdings expanding their partnership to include the US gaming market.
As we have reported previously the giant Facebook software developer company Zynga has also made moves which would imply that they intend to offer a real money venture in the near future.
There is no doubt that all the major online players in the U.S. are placing themselves in a position to offer online scratchcard games as a viable and lucrative form of online gambling.
The universal appeal of scratchcards cannot be ignored as the scratch game formula provides an affordable and easy format for the masses.