California is the big prize, says online gambing chief

Speaking to media reporters after posting another set of successful quarterly results yesterday, 888 Holdings CEO Brian Mattingley discussed the evolving American online gambling market and his company’s plans to be a part of the action.

888 is one of the best-placed European companies to take advantage of state-by-state legalisation moves in the United States, with partnerships with Wynn Resorts, WMS Gaming, Treasure Island, Caesars Interactive Entertainment’s World Series of Poker brand, and an online poker network through its All American Poker Network.

The company has online gambling licensing initiatives active in all three states that have thus far legalised online gambling – Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey, and has announced that it is keen to expand into other states as more legalise.

“In 2014, we should start to see some meaningful revenues come through [from US activity],” Mattingley said Wednesday, adding that he was optimistic that larger states such as New York and California could be among the next to liberalise, although he cautioned that the regulatory process was notoriously hard to predict.

High on 888’s target list is California, as evidenced by Mattingley’s comment: “California is the prize. We are working flat out to identify some quality partners out there.”

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