There was good news for Paddy Power this week following the news that the bookmaker had jumped the first hurdle on the road to gaining a gambling licence in Nevada.

The Irish-listed company has no presence currently in the US, but has indicated its interest in entering the market if the right opportunity presents itself, and last year applied for a licence in Nevada.

This week Paddy Power was granted a “preliminary finding of suitability” to operate in the US state by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, with the Nevada Gaming Commission set to rule on the board’s recommendation later this month.

The preliminary finding of suitability effectively means the company would quickly obtain a full licence if and when it wants to, though – as with William Hill – the Gaming Board did express concern about Paddy Power’s business dealings with Israeli firm Playtech.