MGM Doubles Down on Omnichannel With Live From Vegas

It’s hard to imagine a buzzier word in gaming circles than “omnichannel” in the past couple of years. The idea of tying both casino floors and online play together in one great big happy bow does have a certain finality about it. A union of uneasy partners.

But MGM may finally be ready to show what it might actually look like in practice. It’s new Live From Las Vegas platform, launched in April, just got a huge new boost as well as some new partners, and it aims to take the so-called Vegas experience global.

All of this at a time when other international rivals like the Las Vegas Sands are laying off hundreds of digital workers and abandoning their own digital ambitions altogether.

The newest iteration of Live From Las Vegas streams from the floor of the MGM Grand, and lets players from all over the world log in and play real Las Vegas table games streamed directly from the Las Vegas Strip. Though in a sad irony, players watching from just a few yards away are not allowed to play due to Nevada’s calcified and ageing restriction on online gaming.

The new 24-hour operation has already hired almost a hundred dealers and put them through a few weeks of training, including on the company’s Responsible Gaming Platform. They hope to create the often-discussed but rarely seen hybrid experience that will be the foundation for the hybrid casino model.

While many live dealer games have historically been filmed from warehouse studios, the Live From Las Vegas streams lean heavily into the mystique of Las Vegas itself, with the presenters /dealers operating from glass-enclosed booths with views out across the casino behind them. Guests can see all the action taking place as they stroll past, and players in the UK, Brazil and Canada can get a glimpse inside a real Las Vegas Strip property.

MGM’s Vice President of Online Gaming says the format is already drawing strong international interest. He also points out that each table can support thousands of players at the same time, and that MGM has hired dealers that guests are sure to find personable and engaging. Part croupier, part game show host, part ambassador.

Not only are Nevada residents not currently allowed to play, but neither are any of the MGM players in any of the seven legal online gaming states. MGM currently has no plans to offer the service even in licensed jurisdictions in the US, but does say it will revisit that decision should federal or state gaming prohibitions ease.