By Steve Green, Las Vegas Sun

The online unit of Caesars Entertainment Corp. of Las Vegas today was recommended for licensure as an online intrastate poker operator in Nevada.

At a meeting in Carson City, the State Gaming Control Board voted to recommend a license for Caesars to the Nevada Gaming Commission.

The commission could issue the license as early as later this month.

Caesars, which has the largest share of the U.S. physical casino market, plans to offer online poker with its World Series of Poker brand.

If approved, Caesars would be the 17th company licensed to participate in Nevada’s emerging online poker sector. Some of the previously approved applicants are in the technical testing phases needed before going live.

Caesars, which is parent company of Harrah’s and Harveys in Stateline, plans to launch online poker once its technical partner — 888 Holdings LLC Plc, a British online gaming firm — is licensed, possibly next year.

Mitch Garber, who heads Caesars’ interactive division, said marketing and operational plans for online poker have been established.

“We are ready, the people are in place,” he said.

The type of online poker approved so far in Nevada is not video poker as is commonly seen in casinos and bars. Instead, it’s players competing against each other.