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Ultimate Gaming Closes Nevada Poker Site

Firm Blames Lackluster Revenue In Silver State

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One of Nevada’s three online poker sites will soon be no more.

Ultimate Gaming announced Friday that its poker site, Ultimate Poker, will be shutting its virtual doors in Nevada. The firm already exited the New Jersey market in September.

According to PokerScout, Ultimate Poker had been hovering around a 50-60 player average for its cash games. The World Series of Poker-branded online poker site by Caesars averages about twice the traffic. Real Gaming, a product from South Point Casino, has been practically a ghost town and has fared much worse than Ultimate Poker, according to the tracking.

Ultimate Gaming, an offshoot of Station Casinos, launched in April 2013.

Ultimate Gaming issued a statement:

“As has been the case in other jurisdictions, online poker revenues in Nevada have fallen far short of original projections,” said Tom Breitling, Chairman of Ultimate Gaming. “Moreover, the state-by-state approach to online gaming has created an extremely cost-prohibitive and challenging operating environment. These factors have combined to make the path to profitability very difficult and uncertain. Consequently, we have decided to cease operations.”

“We are grateful to the Nevada Gaming Commission and Gaming Control Board for allowing us to be the first company to operate online poker in Nevada and greatly appreciate their leadership and support as the first state to license and regulate online poker," continued Breitling. “We are working closely with the Gaming Control Board to ensure a smooth transition for our customers as we cease Nevada operations.”

Just three states in the country have legalized online poker. California, which Ultimate Gaming could get involved with, could legalize online poker next year.

Ultimate Poker in Nevada needs to complete the necessary regulatory requirements before ceasing operations. It’s unclear when exactly that will happen.