It seems that a growing number of land-based Vegas casinos are going online - in spite of the fact that Internet gambling is largely illegal in the U.S. So how are they getting around the issue?
By launching play-for-fun sites.
The sites look a lot like real-money sites, but don't accept wagers. That's not a problem for these casinos, however; the goal of these sites isn't to make money. The casinos are much more interested in establishing an online gaming presence and loyal customer base, with the hope that Nevada will eventually legalize online wagering.
MGM Mirage and Harrah's are already running free sites, and other casino giants are joining that exclusive club. This week, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino of Las Vegas launched its own play-for-fun casino site.
The site, which was developed by dot com Entertainment Group, gives players a choice of play-for-fun Slots, Roulette, Video Poker, Craps, Blackjack, Caribbean Poker and Table Poker.
Players can enjoy better-than-average Java (no-download) games that are branded with the Hard Rock name. The games have a 'Vegas' look and feel to them, which means players will find a lot of pinks, turquoise blues, and purples on the tables.
The new partnership should be a boon for both companies, if growth projections for the online gaming industry are accurate.
This is dot com's first deal with a land-based Vegas casino, and that could possibly pave the way for future partnerships - especially if online gambling gets the green light in the Silver State. Other gaming software companies are likely to be working on their own Vegas deals at this time.
More importantly, however, the Hard Rock got its foot in the Internet casino door before most of the other big Vegas casinos. The brand recognition of the Hard Rock name will undoubtedly attract customers and that strong market share, along with the casino's position as one of the first Vegas casinos to go online, could translate into big money - provided real-money wagering gets approval.
Look for more Las Vegas land-based casinos to launch play-for-fun sites in the near future as the battle for online casino supremacy heats up.
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