Much Anticipated Launch of WSOP.com Real-Money Poker to Occur Today

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Thursday, September 19th, 2013 | Written by Lucy Brown

In just a few short hours, all Nevadans over the age of 21 will have the opportunity to make history by playing on the newest real-money online poker site to set up shop in the state – the WSOP.com-branded poker room operated by Caesars Entertainment.

The room, which is scheduled to officially fling open its virtual doors at 9:19 a.m., has already launched in a limited mode for users who pre-registered earlier in the week.

When the World Series of Poker site is formally open, it will be the second real-money online poker website in Nevada, the other being Ultimate Poker, which first opened to the public last April.

Launch is a huge deal for the company

The World Series of Poker is one of the biggest feathers in the cap of debt-ridden Caesars, as it is one of the company’s most recognizable and marketable brands. The company said via its press release announcing the site’s commencement date that it would be rolling out a massive advertising campaign surrounding the launch of its first iGaming site in the United States.

“This opens up a whole new category for the WSOP brand, enabling us to connect with consumers year-round and reach them where they are most today – on digital devices. We have high standards, we know our players do as well, and we believe everyone will be impressed with WSOP.com once they get the chance to play and experience its exceptional benefits and rewards,” said Geoffrey Stewart, who is the General Manager of Online Poker for WSOP.com.

Fall should be a busy time for US online gaming

Today’s launch is just the kickoff of what will likely prove to be an extremely busy autumn season for online gambling in the United States. With two other states – New Jersey and tiny Delaware – both set to open up their own iGaming sites by the end of the fall, Americans will, after many years of unsteady access to Internet-based wagering, finally have the ability to place online wagers, albeit on a limited scale.

With Congress back after recessing for the summer, the question of regulation at the federal level is once more being bandied about. For those holding out hope for nationwide regulation, the hold might be a long one indeed.

Even proponents of legalizing Internet gambling nationwide, such as powerful Nevada Senator Harry Reid, admit that getting such legislation through a gridlocked and extremely divided legislature would be a very long shot at best. Reid has said repeatedly this year that he doesn’t expect such action anytime soon.

And while Americans can’t yet enjoy the widespread access to regulated online poker and casino games as can players elsewhere in the world – the robust European online gambling market comes to mind – the situation is certainly more hopeful than it was even just a few years ago, with states around the nation looking into online gambling regulation.

Will Nevada regulate other forms of online betting?

While so far online betting in Nevada is limited to online poker only, there is a good chance that this won’t remain the status quo forever. With the laws enacted in Delaware and New Jersey being far more sweeping than that which exists in the Silver State, with those states permitting access to a variety of Internet-based wagering options, there is a good possibility that, down the road, Nevada will also look into offering a more comprehensive array of games.

For the time being, however, Nevada’s Governor, former Nevada Gaming Commission Chairman Brian Sandoval, has been granted the power to enter into interstate online poker compacts by the state legislature. These compacts could not only prove very profitable for Nevada’s main industry, but also could be beneficial to states looking to offer online betting to residents without the hassle of passing their own sweeping legislation or for those states that lack a developed casino industry.