Online casino game to be launched at MGM Resorts
An announcement arrived on Oct. 5 from MGM Resorts chief exec, Jim Murren, that the company is took centre stage with his disclosure that his company is about to pursue online activity in the social gaming sector, by launching a brand new social media game that will enable users to build up a farmyard enterprise, similar to Zynga’s Farmville.
The difference will be that MGM's farm will allow users to become virtual "casino moguls" According to Murren, whose company is known for its support to online poker legalization in the States, "The demographics of [internet] gamers are really right in the strike zone of the gaming industry."
Another online venture has been reported recently – that of South Point Casino, whose owner Michael Gaughan, announced the launch of a new "free-to-play" internet poker facility, which should serve to boost the brand awareness and interest in internet poker, in hopeful anticipation of Nevada legalization.
At the moment, the site is open only to members of South Point's casino loyalty program, but it will become available to the general public on October 17.
According to Gaughan, "I don't know that much about online poker and I'm trying to learn about it with a free site," he said, adding that he has been making sure he’s ready in the event of legalization of online poker in Nevada by keeping close connections with Nevada gambling regulators.
"I think it (legalized online gambling) would help business at the South Point and I think I could make money with it as a poker site," Gaughan said.
On the other side, Teresa Zellhoefer, deputy enforcement chief for the Nevada Gaming Control Board, stated that the South Point site is primarily a promotional tool in the eyes of the regulator, who reportedly made sure issues such as arbitration of disputes in games and keeping of information about hands played, have been properly addressed, even though it had no word in the launch of the site, as it does not engage any real money play.
