Speculations exist that the giant from Las Vegas is setting the stage for operations on the Internet.

As reports from North Jersey.com indicate, the based in Nevada MGM Resorts International has contacted the gaming authority the New Jersey Casino Control Commission in a bid to re-acquire a Garden State land casino licence.

The previous licence of the company was taken from it in 2010 when the regulators from New Jersey discovered the one of the business partners of the firm in Macau, Pansy Ho, is unsuitable because of her father allegedly having links to organised crime.

This has since been addressed by MGM, and it said that it has an interest in MGM China Holdings, the parent company of MGM Macau and that the shares of MGM China Holdings are now listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The stake of Ho has since this moment been lowered and her influence reduced.

The application of MGM to re-apply for a licence has increased speculations that no intention exists for it to be left out of the gold rush started by online gambling and that could further develop if Chris Christie , the Governor, signs into law the pending measure for online gambling legalisation.

Online gambling operations will be restricted by the new law only to servers stationed in Atlantic City and owned by existing land operators who have already received their licences. MGM has also an agreement for internet partnership in place with Bwin.Party, a European giant.

In the Atlantic City’s casino Borgata, MGM holds an interest of fifty per cent.