MGM Resorts to Stream Las Vegas Gaming: Could Virtual Gambling Revolutionize the Industry?

Could virtual gambling be the next big thing for Las Vegas?

One giant casino company took a step in that direction, although the travel and tourism industry in Sin City might have something to say about that.

MGM Resorts International and a London-based company might have opened that door by forming a partnership to stream casino games live from Vegas. The action will be streamed live from the casinos at the MGM Grand and the Bellagio hotels.

MGM will work with Playtech, a gaming technology company, to produce “MGM Live.” It will be streamed to regulated markets outside of the United States and include live gaming and other programming.

But for now, you can only live vicariously through players who are actually in Las Vegas on the casino floor and playing the games. A gambler in Des Moines, for instance, cannot place a bet on a player’s actions and have a financial stake in the outcome.

“The launch of this new and exciting live casino offering, in partnership with Playtech and directly from Bellagio and MGM Grand in Las Vegas, furthers our strategic vision to be the world’s premier gaming entertainment company,” MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle said in a release. “This collaboration amplifies our commitment to providing unparalleled experiences and expands our global reach to our customers. We believe the content, celebrity talent, and sophisticated gaming experience that we will offer — all from the trusted and highly reputable brands of MGM Resorts — will be unmatched in the industry.”

Could this be parlayed into something more?

It’s innovative and it’s possible. But Las Vegas is a thriving mecca for entertainment and it has 150,000 hotel rooms. Hotel owners and operators might have something to say about having virtual gamblers from Des Moines just sitting on their couch and placing a bet while a player does the work in Las Vegas.

Not to mention restaurant owners and concert promoters and others.

Las Vegas caters to a worldwide audience and probably doesn’t want to endanger that.