Station Casinos offers in-home wagering

John Wilen

Wednesday, June 9, 1999 | 11:12 a.m.

Station Casinos Inc. is joining the growing field of Nevada casino companies that plan to offer some type of online gambling.

Station today announced an agreement with Los Angeles-based Youbet.com to jointly develop and operate a personal computer-based race and sports wagering service catering to Nevada residents.

The service will let members watch and wager on races and sporting events according to lines established by Station. The service will not be available over the Internet. It will be accessible only via a private closed-loop network. Members will dial into the network from their computers and use a previously assigned password to access the service.

Youbet will maintain and operate the service, while Station will market it and provide customer registration and assistance through its race and sports books.

The system, once developed, is subject to regulatory approval.

Station officials said the online system will increase the company's visibility, helping attract customers to its casinos in addition to generating new revenues.

"This joint venture provides yet another venue to build upon our brand-name franchise and enhance our distribution points in the Las Vegas locals' market," said Frank J. Fertitta III, Station's chairman and chief executive.

Station owns locals casinos in the Las Vegas area, and two casinos in Missouri. Youbet operates a nation-wide online race wagering service.

Station is far from the first Nevada gaming company to announce an online venture. Bally Gaming of Las Vegas has developed a computer networking system that will allow Nevadans to access state sports books via their personal computers. The system, Remote Access Verification Environment, or RAVE, uses a call-tracing system to ensure users are calling from within Nevada.

International Game Technology, of Reno, and American Wagering Inc., of Las Vegas, have both announced Australian Internet gambling ventures. Internet gambling is legal in some Australian states.