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More than 30 companies have now submitted applications to operate an online poker site in Nevada, with Wynn Resorts being the latest to join the growing list.

Online poker could be just months away in Nevada, and Gov. Brian Sandoval said he's comfortable state regulators are taking appropriate steps to license operators while protecting the public.

Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA)'s attempts to enter real-money gambling may be held back by US laws, which favor existing casinos, according to Bloomberg. So far, 3 US states, including New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware, have passed laws that will allow online gambling games to be played on their territories, but it looks like the conditions will benefit casinos which dominate the gambling scene. This could create problems for the social gaming giant, which is looking to reduce its dependence on its current business model, including bolstering growth and business transactions by offering real-money games. At present, Zynga (ZNGA) has employed a 'free to play' business model, which was started by multiplayer online games like Jagex Games Studio' RuneScape. It allow players to play games free of cost but with the choice to spend real money on virtual items or other in-game advantages. These in-games purchases are called "micro-transactions".

But even with this approval, Bally and IGT still have to wait for individual casinos to be licensed for this sort of gaming.

"Nevada and the District of Columbia have already taken steps to authorize online poker, and state officials in Iowa have been studying the issue closely. Lawmakers in New Jersey and California are redoubling their efforts to legalize it, bolstered by a recent Department of Justice decision that reversed the federal government's long-held opposition to many forms of Internet gambling. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey spoke this month of making his state an "epicenter" of the online gambling industry. "