Bwin.Party digital entertainment Plc, the gambling entity that resulted from a merger between Bwin and Party Gaming, has announced that it has entered into a potentially lucrative deal that could return it to the US gambling market. The group entered into a joint venture contract with the two Las Vegas based casino groups, Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts.

The three issued press releases this week outlining the creation of a company that would set up web platforms and would put Bwin.Party in a position to enter the market when it becomes legalized and regulated.

Bwin.Party will have a 65% majority stake in the company, while Boyd Gaming will have a 10% stake. MGM Resorts will own the balance. According to the press releases, all three companies will have board representation.

According to a separate contract, Boyd Gaming entered into an agreement with Bwin.Party that it would use the online company’s technology to establish its own poker brand in the United States once the appropriate legislation has been passed. Although not yet confirmed, MGM is also thought to have entered into a similar 15 year agreement with Bwin.Party.

The President and Chief Executive of Boyd Gaming, Keith Smith said: “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.”

Although Bwin.Party cannot predict when changes will come about in the US online poker market, the group was sure that it was gaining “significant momentum” by entering into these agreements. The venture also allows Bwin.Party to apply for a Nevada Gaming Commission gambling license.

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission announced that it has rescheduled a hearing for Full Tilt Poker, with the new date being September 19th. Besides being four days later than the previously decided-upon date, the new hearing will be held at a different agenda – the Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel on the Albert Embankment in London. The reason for the change of venue, said the AGCC, is because it would be able to accommodate more interested parties – leading to higher expectations that the hearing will be open to the public, as the previous one was supposed to be, and not behind closed doors as demanded by Full Tilt’s legal team in the last hearing.

A hearing scheduled for July 26th was meant to enable representatives of Full Tilt Poker to explain to the AGCC why it could not pay back its players since an FBI indictment against 11 executives in the online poker industry. The Commission wants Full Tilt to prove that it can protect its player’s funds and pay them out under any circumstances – something that the poker room has been unable to do.

Full Tilt was hoping that by the time the rescheduled hearing’s date came up, it would have good news regarding an acquisition deal, which would have allowed it to start paying back its players. Unfortunately, nothing concrete has happened between July and now, and analysts believe that the Alderney Gambling Control Commission will not be so quick to re-license the online poker room.

Full Tilt will have to come to the new hearing with better news and a full explanation of how it plans to pay back the millions owed to its players. If not, the chances of the group receiving an operating license by the AGCC are slim.

Professional baseball player, Alex Rodriguez, aka A-Rod, confirmed that he met with Major League Baseball officials on Friday to discuss allegations that he took part in illegal poker games. “They asked me a lot of questions,” said A-Rod. “I answered them. It went well. I feel great about it. I think they have their information. Now they can report back to the commissioner.”

A-Rod said that the parties did not discuss any disciplinary measures and he is now waiting to see if anything comes out of the meetings.

“In fairness to them, I said what I had to say,” he said. “I answered all their questions until they were tired, and then I’ll let them come back to us. I don’t know what they’re going to do with the information.”

In July this year, tabloids published an article claiming that A-Rod was seen attending underground poker parties in homes that were also frequented by stars such as Leo DiCaprio and Matt Damon. One tabloid also said that drugs were used at one of the parties and that a fight nearly broke out.

After the stories broke, the MLB issued a statement saying that it took these claims very seriously and would be investigating the matter. “As part of the investigation, the commissioner’s office will interview Mr. Rodriguez,” read the statement.

This is not the first time that Alex Rodriguez has been involved in poker games. In 2005, he was warned by the Yankees and the MLB to stay away from poker parlors after he was seeing playing in a New York based parlor with legendary poker pro, Phil Hellmuth.