888 chief has his sights set on the U.S.

888 chief executive Brian Mattingley, addressing media after his company turned in another sterling set of half-year results, said that as the online gaming market in the US liberalises state by state, 888 plans to follow upcoming launches in Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware by moving into California, New York and Florida.

The Telegraph reports that regulatory delays have slowed down the company’s plans for the US, which Mattingley said was frustrating. However, he noted that 888’s online poker partnership with Caesars Interactive is expected to go live “imminently” in Nevada, and that he has hopes that Delaware and New Jersey will follow in the next six months.

“It really is new territory for them [the US regulators],” he said. “It’s been a long slow journey but it’s getting faster.”