Khalilian hired as COO by new owners of Universal Entertainment Group

Speculation that the recent purchase of Universal Entertainment Group by Monster Technology Group was a move designed to distance the company from previous owner Fred Khalilian (see previous  reports) proved unfounded as the week ended, with Monster CEO Noel Lee announcing that Khalilian has been retained as chief operating officer.

UEG provides the technology platform for the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma’s Pokertribe venture, which plans to offer online poker internationally from servers located on tribal land in the United States, starting December 15 under an Isle of Man licence.

Explaining his decision to hire Khalilian, Monster’s Lee told the publication Digital Trends:

“The roadmap is unbelievable, fraught with laws, certifications, international law, gaming commissions, all that stuff. Very, very complex. But [Fred] has overcome. He’s found his niche, he’s worked his way through the government, through the Federal Trade Commission, through all of that, with a strategy that’s built around the American Indians.

“Fred is a very unusual personality, and quite frankly he’s an acquired taste, because you don’t know what to make of him when you first meet him. And it takes a little time to say, man this guy is a genius.”

Digital Trends carried a long article on UEG, Monster and Pokertribe, including video footage of Khalilian outlining his modus operandi for navigating US anti-online gambling laws, here.

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