With the introduction of remote sportsbetting via Blackberry or Android smartphones, Leroy’s App by American Wagering effectively put Nevada on the map as the first state in the union to permit proper online gambling. Now Cantor Gaming wants to bring casino games to Nevada’s mobile masses. Cantor Gaming, which already allows remote wagering at Strip casinos via its proprietary eDeck device, is looking to take its action beyond casino property. As Cantor Gaming CEO (and convicted cocaine dealer) Lee Amaitis put it: “People want to be able to [gamble] where and when they choose.”
While Amaitis plans on doing a full court press to turn his mobile dream into a reality, it’s no sure bet that state regulators will rubber stamp his application. As Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli told the Las Vegas Sun, “this would be a huge policy shift for the state.” We’re not so sure. While laws would need to be amended to permit the casinos to extend their reach, last year’s launch of Leroy’s App means the state is already a little bit pregnant. So the question that runs through Amaitis’ mind is, why not go for the whole package? “Why are we allowing this with sports wagering and not casino games? It’s illogical.”
Strip casinos currently utilizing Cantor Gaming’s proprietary remote wagering system include M Resort, Palazzo, Venetian, Hard Rock and Tropicana, but Amaitis eventually wants to run a dedicated online intrastate gaming site over the internet. In this, he’s thinking contrary to the desires of casino giants MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, who only want to talk online gambling at the federal level. These companies think Nevada has too tiny a population base to make the intrastate option a winner, especially for a sector like poker. But since the federal option appears stillborn for the foreseeable future, might Cantor Gaming’s squeaky wheel get the grease?
