Wynn Resorts Looking to Acquire Bwin.Party?

[Zab]

Well this is interesting.

On the heels of Senator Harry Reid‘s proclamations that online poker legislation will “get done” in the U.S. soon, Steve Wynn is now rumored to be a suitor for Bwin.Party (read more here).

As we’ve written before, many “in-the-know” types have maintained that when Steve Wynn threw his hat in the online poker ring, laws would be passed. It’s why we believed his allegiance with PokerStars was such a massive deal for the industry in general.

Our sources from across the pondTM say that there has been some dissatisfaction from Austrian-based Bwin’s stockholders. Bwin has been in merger & acquisition mode, which typically damages internal operational efficiencies (and the short-term bottomline), and the company’s leadership may be feeling pressure to deliver something of value back to the shareholders (especially as stock value has dropped off since the Party merger).

All speculation on our part, but with Bwin in particular being such an aggressive “buyer” over the years, giving up the conch to American-based Wynn seems against their basic instincts. However, maybe they see the potential of what a Wynn could do for them (and their shareholders) once online poker opens up in the States as worth the change in philosophy.

[Drywallman3]

Very interesting, I have believed for a while now that a big casino owner and some partners would bring on-line poker back. I just hope they take a lot of promotions and games that FullTilt and Pokerstars had and combine to one mega site. One can only hope.

[Poof]

I hope this moves forward soon. I look forward to a change and hopefully being able to deposit an amount and just start playing, rather than grinding up from 0 which happened when I had to play anywhere but where I had money online.

[jt1018]

wow this is awesome i hope they get it going soon it would be so nice to have a bunch of options again

[watte29]

hmm, looks like interesting news, hopefully it will have a positive end...

[Drywallman3]

I hope this moves forward soon. I look forward to a change and hopefully being able to deposit an amount and just start playing, rather than grinding up from 0 which happened when I had to play anywhere but where I had money online.

I totally agree, I grinded pennies up to a few dollars, but wasn't getting anywhere so once I deposited a nice roll I was able to join bigger tournaments with nice prize pools and bigger cash games instead of the .01/ .02 games. I left POKERSTARS with more than I had invested.

[wagon596]

I'm just waiting and hoping that this USA deal goes through and soon....

[bmeelneg]

Wynn's been looking for some time now ... its good news, but don't read too much into it.