888 Continues US iGaming Push with Wynn Interactive Partnership

On Monday 888 Holdings, Avenue Capital Group U.S., and Wynn Interactive announced a partnership deal that will see 888 provide Wynn Resorts with their online poker platform in Nevada. The deal also opens the door for the two companies in New Jersey where both 888 and Wynn have applied for online gaming licenses.

The All American Poker Network

In Nevada, Wynn Interactive will join 888 and Avenue Capital Group US’s All American Poker Network (AAPN), which already boasts Treasure Island and its yet-to-be-launched online poker room. The AAPN will pool players across the different poker rooms, akin to the current online poker network model used by iPoker, Microgaming, and other providers.

888 and Caesars in Nevada

888 is also the provider for Caesars’ WSOP.com website which launched last week.

The WSOP.com website is not currently slated to join the AAPN, and will remain a separate entity for the time being according to Caesars Interactive CEO Mitch Garber who said as much in a conference call regarding the launch of WSOP.com last week.

During the call Garber stated, “In a market the size of Nevada, we probably feel that we don’t need to share liquidity.”

Though, he did leave the door open citing other potential “disadvantages” that could cause Caesars to rethink joining the AAPN.

The AAPN could also be incorporated to offer inter-state online poker should multiple states decide to pool their players together.

888 Surging to the Head of the Pack in the US Poker Market

As legalized US online poker started to become a reality virtually all eyes were fixated on industry titans like PokerStars and Party Poker, and how they would triumphantly return to the US market like Caesar returning to Rome. But so far it has been 888 Holdings that has jumped to the forefront of the burgeoning US online poker market.

888 has made several strategic moves (as you’ll see in the following headers) that have them, and not Party or PokerStars, the current frontrunner in the US iGaming industry in many people’s estimation.

888 In New Jersey

In New Jersey, 888 will not only provide all four of Caesars’ Atlantic City casinos with their online gaming platform, but they have announced that at least one of these online casinos will boast the 888 Brand.

Additionally, Wynn Resorts has applied for an online gaming license in New Jersey, and rumors have circulated that they may be looking at purchasing one of the struggling Atlantic City casinos.

888 in Delaware

In Delaware, 888, along with Delaware’s current live slots provider Scientific Games, won the contract from the Delaware State Lottery to be the sole provider of iGaming platforms to the state’s three “Racinos.”  With this contract, 888 and Scientific Games will have a virtual monopoly in the state.