Boyd Gaming, bwin.Party reach online poker agreement

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Boyd Gaming Corporation today announced that it has entered into an agreement with bwin.party digital entertainment plc the world's largest publicly traded online gaming company.

Should Congress legalize online poker in the United States, and subject to regulatory approvals, Boyd Gaming would acquire a 10% stake in a new company that would offer online poker to U.S.-based players under bwin.party's brands, including Party Poker.

Separately, Boyd Gaming has entered into a 15-year agreement to use bwin.party's technology platform and associated services to offer online poker to U.S. players under a brand developed by Boyd Gaming, assuming Congress passes enabling legislation.

"We believe that the right approach to offering legal online poker in the United States is through a federal regulatory structure that ensures the games are conducted with the greatest possible integrity and security. Should Congress enact legislation to legalize Internet poker, this agreement will allow us to partner with the world's most experienced and prestigious online operator to offer a secure, fair and entertaining experience for players in the United States," said Keith Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Gaming.

bwin.party is licensed in Gibraltar, France and Italy, and currently offers legal online poker in numerous countries. The company has a reputation for developing and implementing industry-leading best practices, including player security, responsible gaming and underage gambling prevention.

"We see online poker as a compelling future growth opportunity for our Company, and this agreement would position Boyd Gaming to quickly become a leader in the online poker market in the United States," Smith said.