The 800-member Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma hopes to launch the world’s first in-flight gambling website out of its headquarters near Perkins. Iowa Tribe Chairman Bobby Walkup said, “I see this software to being the key for securing the future for many generations. It is a market that is untouched.”
According to regulatory filings, the tribe and Florida-based Universal Entertainment Group struck a deal under which the tribe will keep 51 percent of the revenue generated from Pokertribe.com, whose servers will be located on tribal land. California-based social gaming company World Poker Fund Holdings Inc. recently acquired a 49 percent stake in UEG. Major shareholders in World Poker Fund Holdings include Justin Bieber, former boxer Floyd Mayweather and the rappers Soljaboy and Tyga. Company officials estimated Pokertribe.com could generate $808 million in annual revenue.
As a sovereign nation, the Iowa Tribe can obtain a .gov domain and launch the domain pokertribe.gov which will allow commercial airline passengers to access the service and play poker during flights, said World Poker Fund spokesman Matthew Bird. The platform could bring in millions in tax revenue for the state, Bird said. “Ultimately, the people of Oklahoma are going to benefit from this. It’s unprecedented. It’s never been done before,” he stated.
Florida tech entrepreneur Fred Khalilian serves as a consultant to Pokertribe.com and UEG. His past includes a Paris Hilton-themed nightclub in Orlando and two companies that were sued by the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive business practices. In 2010, due to his role in an extended car warranty robocalling scheme, the FTC permanently banned Khalilian from telemarketing. Khalilian said he settled with the Federal Trade Commission to avoid a lengthy court battle. He noted the FTC regularly files civil suits against reputable companies, including Apple Inc. and Google Inc. “If it was such a scam, why didn’t they put me in jail? They just need to stop beating me up,” Khalilian said.
Despite Khalilian’s reputation, Walkup said, “This software has never committed a crime, and that’s what we’ve found in our due diligence.”
Christina Fallin, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin’s daughter, is a spokeswoman for Universal Entertainment Group. She’s currently talking with air carriers and their internet service providers about the in-flight poker service. “She’s very business-savvy and she knows this could do very well for the state,” Khalilian said.
In a news release, Fallin said, “We are proud to be working with World Poker Fund and the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma on this project. It is an extraordinary time for the state of Oklahoma. The recent federal court ruling granting the Iowa Tribe the unique gaming licenses will generate significant revenue potential that will directly benefit the people of Oklahoma through tax revenues and the Iowa Tribe and its partners. It’s a win-win all around.”
