{"id":18089,"date":"2018-11-28T16:52:29","date_gmt":"2018-11-28T17:52:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/?p=18089"},"modified":"2018-11-28T22:59:46","modified_gmt":"2018-11-28T22:59:46","slug":"mohegans-online-plans-dont-include-poker-may-include-kindred","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/mohegans-online-plans-dont-include-poker-may-include-kindred\/","title":{"rendered":"Mohegan\u2019s Online Plans Don\u2019t Include Poker, May Include Kindred"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the Nov. 28<\/strong> meeting of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board<\/strong> (PGCB) meeting today, the board approved\u00a0Mohegan Sun Pocono<\/strong><\/a> to offer online slots and casino table games<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mohegan Sun originally applied for a peer-to-peer license that allows the holder to offer online poker as well. It has now decided to abandon that plan.<\/p>\n

The PGCB gave the casino permission to withdraw from its application, which means a $2 million<\/strong> rebate goes back to the Mohegan Sun.<\/p>\n

Mohegan Sun\u2019s online partner remains a mystery<\/span><\/h2>\n

During the presentation to the PGCB, Mohegan Sun did not name its partner<\/strong> for online gaming. The company simply said that:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe partner is a well known public company in Europe and has filed for an application in New Jersey as well and plans to be present in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Interestingly enough, that doesn\u2019t<\/strong> actually leave many options.<\/p>\n

European company bet365<\/strong> is a big brand name in sports betting<\/a> looking for partners in the US. It has license applications in process in New Jersey<\/strong> and New York<\/strong>. Respective partners are Hard Rock Atlantic City<\/strong> and Empire Resorts<\/strong>, which owns the Resorts World Catskills<\/strong> casino.<\/p>\n

But bet365 is not<\/strong> a public company.<\/p>\n

The big French operator Winamax<\/strong> has expressed interest in the US market, but it is mainly a poker and sports betting company. French regulations don\u2019t<\/strong> allow online casino games.<\/p>\n

Mohegan Sun isn\u2019t interested in online poker anymore, and it hasn\u2019t yet filed an application for a sports betting license. So Winamax isn\u2019t an option.<\/p>\n

Most of the other big name online operators from Europe have already partnered up with Pennsylvania casinos.<\/p>\n

Kindred is public, in New Jersey, and a possible option<\/span><\/h2>\n

That leaves the Kindred Group<\/strong>, owner of the Unibet<\/strong> brand as the most likely partner.<\/p>\n

Kindred is partnered with Hard Rock Atlantic City in New Jersey<\/a>\u00a0and is a public company. It is quoted on the Swedish stock exchange<\/a> as most of its business is in Scandinavia.<\/p>\n

There simply doesn\u2019t seem to be any other partner who fits the bill.<\/p>\n

Kindred CEO, Henrik Tj\u00e4rnstr\u00f6m<\/strong> commented on the company\u2019s US ambitions during the last quarterly earnings call<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year the Group decided to enter the US market and after the US Supreme Court ruled against PASPA in May this year, we applied for an online license in the state of New Jersey. The USA is the world\u2019s largest gambling market and we see it as a great opportunity for Kindred.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He even produced a map signaling his ambitions:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And there it is<\/strong>, Pennsylvania, a target market for 2018.<\/p>\n

Kindred spin-off Kambi already big in PA<\/span><\/h2>\n

Kindred may not be a household name in PA, but Kambi<\/strong> is becoming well known.<\/p>\n

Kambi is already the sports betting technology partner<\/a> for:<\/p>\n