Nevada Assembly Passes Online Poker Bill

The Nevada State Assembly voted to approve a bill that would develop the structure to license online poker sites within the state. The bill was vastly different from a similar measure discussed earlier this year, but had been modified in light of the “Black Friday” indictments last month against the major players in the online poker industry.

 

 

The previous version of the bill would have allowed Nevadans to play legal online poker, regardless of federal regulation. The version that passed yesterday created the regulatory requirements, but the state would only grant licenses in the event that the federal government passed new laws changing its stance on online poker.

 

 

State Assemblyman William Horne of Las Vegas, one of the bill’s sponsors, cited the need for regulation for online gambling within the US, rather than the strict prohibitions brought about by the “Black Friday” shutdowns. “Where there’s a void of regulation, there’s corruption,” he told reporters. 

 

 

Another provision of the bill is that online poker sites seeking a Nevada license must have a partnership agreement with an existing land-based casino company that has been in good standing with the Nevada Gaming Commission for at least five years. This provision was a concession to casino conglomerates, such as Caesars Entertainment and MGM Mirage, which control most of the casino action in Las Vegas.

 

 

The next step in the process is for the State Senate to vote on the measure, where observers expect it to pass. If the Senate approves the bill, it goes to the desk of Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval for his signature.