[toc]Inhabitants of the Silver State now have an increased number of options to engage in casino games via their computers or phones.
The easyPlay client, owned by MGM, enables individuals in Nevada to engage in casino-style slots, video poker, and bingo tournaments.
In July, MGM permitted anyone present at any of their nine Nevada properties to engage in these real money events via their mobile device. Now, anyone located within the state boundaries can join in.
At present, easyPlay is providing a deposit match up to $500.
How does easyPlay work?
In contrast to casino table games, easyPlay offerings don’t make a player compete against the house. Rather, all games are structured in a tournament style, where players challenge each other, similar to a real-life slots tournament.
The client currently provides four types of tournaments: video poker, two slots-based games, and online bingo. The buy-ins range from a minimum of $5 to a maximum of $50.
The prize pools have been relatively small for the past five months due to the in-casino requirement. It is presumably that enlarging the client base will result in bigger prize pools and payouts.
easyPlay tournament set-up
These casino tournaments vary from an online poker tournament in Nevada. In poker, all participants play simultaneously.
In easyPlay casino games, the length of the tournament is pre-set within a specific time frame, usually a 24-hour period. Anyone can participate in these tournaments and attempt to achieve a high score after a certain number of spins. Just like in a poker tournament, the highest scores receive payouts.
The number of places paid out in the tournaments is determined by the number of entries in each specific tournament.
easyPlay follows in sports wagering’s footsteps
Nowadays, it’s typical to bet on sports through your mobile device in Nevada. However, when mobile betting was first introduced, Cantor Gaming’s app on the Venetian was restricted to use on the property only.
Cantor has since expanded the offering statewide, and nearly every other brick and mortar sports book has followed suit.
In 2010, Cantor started providing mobile casino games for guests at the Venetian and Palazzo. These games, involving real money betting, are still available, but exclusively at Cantor-affiliated casino properties.
Are Nevada online casino games on the horizon?
Currently, the Garden State provides a comprehensive array of online casino games for real money in NJ.
Currently, Nevada regulations only cover online poker. No legislation has been proposed yet to extend these regulations to online casino games.
EasyPlay represents the initial move in removing casino games from property, similar to how sports books utilized their mobile wagering apps.
Image courtesy: Kobby Dagan / Shutterstock.com
