Bally Technologies to Enter US Online Poker Industry: Acquires Chili Poker Platform

Bally Technologies announced Thursday it had acquired the popular Chili Poker software platform, giving it a major edge as online poker becomes legalized in the US during the next couple of months.

The transaction, however, does not mean Bally wants to launch it own Internet gaming website, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. 

Instead, Bally is looking to use the technology with casino companies seeking both free play and wager-based gaming websites.

Chili Gaming has offices in Malta, France and the United Kingdom.  The company is run by French online gambling mogul Alexandre Dreyfus.  Chili recently announced a deal to provide its “free play poker” platform to the Golden Nugget Casino. 

Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli told investors the cost of the transaction for Bally Technologies is "likely to be modest."

"The deal provides Bally with a key element towards advancing its mobile and online player tracking and bonusing initiatives while still ultimately benefiting its end user," Santarelli said.

"This acquisition (allows) Bally Technologies to offer an integrated traditional and online casino solution to operators worldwide," Bally Vice President of Business Development John Connelly said in a statement.

While attempts to pass legislation regulating online poker at the federal level have stalled, individual states have begun jumping on the bandwagon following a US Justice Department decision that essentially no longer makes playing poker on the Web a crime.  Previously, the DOJ had applied a 1960’s Wire Act to poker.

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher