Ultimate Poker Receives Final Approval for Real-Money Play in Nevada
On Thursday, Ultimate Gaming received final approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission to operate Ultimate Poker, currently the only regulated interstate real-money online poker site in the U.S.
Ultimate Gaming, owned by the Station Casinos, made history this year when it launched Ultimate Poker for real-money play on April 30, beating several other potential operators in Nevada to the punch. The company was under a strict real-money trial period through July 11 while the gaming control board watched closely, and Ultimate Poker was given the green light to continue operating on Thursday.
“Not only was Ultimate Gaming the first company in field trial and the first to launch live play, but today we became the first to receive final approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board,” said Ultimate Gaming Chief Executive Officer Tobin Prior. “The board set extensive regulatory requirements for online poker in the state, and we are thrilled that our product has met and exceeded these standards.”
There were a few glitches and geolocation issues reported shortly after launch, but Ultimate Gaming Chief Technology Officer Chris Derossi said that company responded quickly to player comments and concerns. More than 700,000 pages of reports were forwarded to regulators during the trial period, according to Vegas Inc.
Ultimate Poker has dealt more than 9.1 million real-money poker hands since opening its doors on April 30, and the site has seen consistent growth since that date. Derossi said that more than 100,000 tournaments have been completed on the site, including the site's very first online tournament series. The Summer Series took place July 4 through 14 with 11 events and more than $300,000 in guaranteed prize pools.
Ultimate Poker is open to players over the age of 21 located within Nevada's borders — you don't need to be a resident of the state. Deposits and withdrawals can be made online or at any of the Station Casinos’ 16 locations in Las Vegas.
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