Last Week's Regulation Push: PokerStars and Full Tilt Get Serious

PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, the two biggest names in online poker, have teamed up with a casino owner and a casino company in attempt to regulate online poker in the U.S. Will their efforts pay off?

PokerStars unites with Steve Wynn

Wynn Resort in Las Vegas

Famous for the Bellagio, Mirage and Wynn resort and casinos, billionaire Steve Wynn has announced that he is joining PokerStars in attempt to regulate online poker in the U.S. Once the regulation has passed, they plan to set up a joint venture, PokerStarsWynn.com, that will offer online poker play in the U.S.

Wynn, a highly influential man stated, "we are convinced that the lack of regulation of Internet gaming within the US must change. We must recognize that this activity is occurring and that law enforcement does not have the tools to stop it."

Forbes describes this partnership as "a dramatic move that will forever change the online poker landscape." As you can see, every time the legalisation of poker is mentioned, poker fans get excited - even if they don't have a definite answer.

The PokerStars and Wynn project will surely push the regulation of online gaming in the U.S. (particularly Nevada), but not without significant questions such as how it will be regulated and what will happen next.

We're all wondering the same things: are PokerStars and Wynn going to join the pursuit for legislation in other states besides Nevada? If the Nevada legislation is passed, will PokerStars accept Nevada players and give up the rest of its American player base?

Full Tilt forges with Station Casino Inc.

Brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta

PokerStars isn't the only company joining with a reputable American corporation. Brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, owners and managers of Station Casino Inc., have joined with Full Tilt Poker. Although the partnership was forged last year, the announcement was released Thursday.

Station Casino Inc. is a gaming-based company that owns 18 casinos throughout the U.S. According to wikipedia, their total revenue in 2009 totaled $950 million.

However, since the U.S. government considers financial transactions illegal, the company won't run a business together until the legality changes.

The regulation of poker in the U.S.

If you recall, last year the online poker industry was on the horizon of being regulated, but was ultimately struck down by legislation.  Las Vegas casinos were also on board, since they were tired of sitting around while PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker were making millions of dollars from the American players.

With two of the largest online poker rooms joining partnerships this week, will it be a more aggressive effort to legalise online poker in the U.S. or will the legislation leave American poker players in a state of uncertainty?

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