New legalisation attempt in Nevada

**jetset** · 11th March 2011, 09:09 AM

NEVADA IN NEW ONLINE POKER LEGALISATION BID

Powerful support... and some reservations in Las Vegas

Nevada has joined California, Florida, Iowa and New Jersey in attempts to legislate for the intrastate legalisation of online poker, with Assemblyman William Horne - a Democrat who heads up the Assembly Judiciary Committee - introducing Bill AB258 Thursday. Horne has set a committee hearing for the new proposal of March 24.

Fellow Nevada politician Harry Reid's attempt at legalisation in the closing weeks of the last Congress failed despite the support of the American Gaming Association (see previous InfoPowa reports).

Early reports on the new initiative in Nevada indicate that it is being backed by the considerable influence and resources of internet poker giant Pokerstars, which has hired a top lobbyist to represent its interests in the Nevada Legislature.

Interestingly, it appears that the draft at present allows for reciprocal permission for players from other states to play...providing those other states have themselves legalised the pastime and agree.

"Nevada has always been the leader in gaming," Horne said of his bill. "As such, we should remain the leader when it comes to Internet poker."

AB258 calls on Nevada gambling regulators to create rules for Internet poker operators and companies that make related equipment, reports Associated Press. It specifically prohibits the Nevada Gaming Commission from denying a licence to existing poker sites such as PokerStars.

A spokesman for Senator Reid said this week: "The writing has been on the wall that if the federal government doesn't act to regulate Internet poker, then states will try to do so.”

The spokesman expressed support for overarching standards but said that Sen. Reid wants to put the legalisation task to the Nevada regulating agency.

"A federalised market - regulated by proven regulators like the Nevada Gaming Control Board and coupled with tough new measures to stop illegal Internet gambling - is the right way to go," he said.

The Reid staffer's perspective appears to be shared by New Jersey's legalisation nemesis, Caesars Entertainment, which was quick to voice its opposition to the Nevada proposal.

Jan Jones, Caesars' senior vice president for communications and public relations told AP: "Our focus is not intrastate, our focus is interstate. It's federal, it's putting together an American, an appropriate regulation and licensing regime, and taking the jobs and revenues going to foreign companies and bringing it back to America."

Jones emphasised the Caesars view that the new Nevada bill isn't the right way to legalise online poker because it's state-only legislation.

"That's been our position in every state, and it's our position in Nevada as well," Jones said. "Internet, by its nature, is an interstate activity, and the rules should be crafted appropriately."

Officials for the American Gaming Association have so far declined to comment on the new Nevada bill.

Legal Internet poker could benefit Nevada's ailing economy, claim the bill's authors, noting that technology could be used to limit the gambling to places where it is legal. The proposed regulations would have to guard against underage gambling and cheating and set standards that protect players' privacy, the draft, which is confined to internet poker, insists.

In related news, taxpayers in British Columbia had better hope that NDP wannabe leader John Horgan is not elected provincial premier in an upcoming April political party election - he is likely to reverse the province's progressive attitude toward online gambling and the considerable investment made in introducing it to the province (see previous InfoPowa reports).

Local media report that Horgan says he would unplug online gaming if elected as B.C. premier. The politician, one of five candidates for the party leadership, said the B.C. Lottery Corporation’s online gaming is particularly vulnerable to money laundering, fraud, and related crimes.

Horgan, if elected party leader, would still need to defeat Christy Clark for the provincial premiership.

**felicie** · 11th March 2011, 09:14 PM

This one sounds less restrictive at least and I imagine at some point in the future the fed govt. and the states will be playing tug-o-war over who gets first grab at the casino's and our money. And I think we can all agree the ones 'most particularly vulnerable to money laundering, fraud, and related crimes' are the politicians themselves.

Thanks Jetset.

**jetset** · 12th March 2011, 09:15 AM

ONLINE GAMBLING - FEAST OR FAMINE IN NEVADA (Update)

Two more bills introduced that could further the legalisation initiative

It's either a famine or a feast when it comes to e-gaming legislation in Nevada, it appears. Hardly had the ink dried on media reports on the launch of Assembly Majority Whip William Horne's AB 258, which seeks to legalise intrastate online poker, than two more pieces of legislation surfaced as the week ended.

Prior to that, it had been a long drought since 2001, when the Nevada Legislature passed AB466, only to back off when the US Justice Department made threatening noises.

Whilst the newly introduced SB103 and SB218 do not directly address legalisation per se, they provide the foundations for such a move by the state of Nevada. Both were well-supported during an initial public hearing which considered them Friday before adjourning without a vote and passing them on for a Judiciary Committee hearing.

Meanwhile, AB258 sailed through a first reading in the Assembly Judiciary Committee, and has been recommended to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill is intended to legalise online internet poker only, and has an element that may not please those of a protectionist frame of mind - it specifically lays down that a regulator such as the Nevada Gaming Commission may not deny an operator a licence solely on grounds that said operator was involved in internet gambling activities with entities unlicensed in the United States.

It also has provision for accepting action from other states where online poker has been legalised, and sets timeframes for the end of 2011 in respect of establishing the necessary regulations.

SB103 and SB218 could be described as 'enabling bills' related to 'interactive gambling'.

SB103 lists amendments and additions necessary for the Nevada Gaming Commission to establish licensing requirements and fees for “interactive gaming service providers” to act on behalf of a gaming establishment.

SB218 authorises the Nevada Gaming Control Board to set up and regulate “hosting centers” and authorise “service providers” with the assistance and advice of the Nevada Gaming Commission. Defining the terms 'hosting centers' and 'service providers' is a task allocated to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The consensus appears to be that the bill is designed to provide a legal framework for AB258 and SB103.

Observers have noted that there is a strong possibility that 103 and 218 will be at some point in the legislative process combined into one omnibus piece of legislation, and that would seem to be a logical development. Such an act would provide for both operators and service providers such as software suppliers to be authorised and regulated, if necessary as separate categories.

The now fast-moving legislative initiatives have to be viewed against a background that indicates serious intentions regarding legalisation in the Silver State. Previous reports have described the approvals and acceptability of alliances such as that between Caesars Interactive Entertainment and the Gibraltar-based 888.com, and that company's burgeoning relationship with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission.

**lots0** · 12th March 2011, 05:19 PM

I would LOVE to see this pass.... But... I don't think it has a snowballs chance in hell of becoming law.

In today's political environment, no bill submitted by a Democrat in Nevada will make it past the legislative committees that are controlled by the states tea bag Republicans.

Harry Rieds power within the Nevada State Legislature is non-existent. Reid may have won the Federal Senator Seat, by the skin of his teeth, but the State of Nevada it's self is controlled by very conservative Republicans, that have no intention of giving the Dems a check mark in the win box for anything.

Not to mention that Caesars Ent Corp is against the Bill...

"This is not a bill that we support," said Jan Jones, Caesars' senior vice president for communications and public relations. "Our focus is not intrastate, our focus is interstate. It's federal, it's putting together an American, an appropriate regulation and licensing regime and taking the jobs and revenues going to foreign companies and bringing it back to America."

Jones said the bill introduced Thursday isn't the right way to legalize online poker because it's state-only legislation.

As great as some of us think this Bill is... It is dead on arrival...

**pokeraddict** · 13th March 2011, 07:29 AM

I think this goes beyond just being a dead bill. This is an attempt in Nevada ot be the first state to set this up. While the player pool is going to be very small, which maybe is the reason that sites like Poker Stars will be allowed, it opens the door for Nevada to bring in the backbone and jobs for when other states legalize it. Passing this is a great first step to fixing the mess in Las Vegas, even if it is just to be the first.

**spiderman** · 12th April 2011, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by lots0

I would LOVE to see this pass.... But... I don't think it has a snowballs chance in hell of becoming law.

In today's political environment, no bill submitted by a Democrat in Nevada will make it past the legislative committees that are controlled by the states tea bag Republicans.

Harry Rieds power within the Nevada State Legislature is non-existent. Reid may have won the Federal Senator Seat, by the skin of his teeth, but the State of Nevada it's self is controlled by very conservative Republicans, that have no intention of giving the Dems a check mark in the win box for anything.

Not to mention that Caesars Ent Corp is against the Bill...

As great as some of us think this Bill is... It is dead on arrival...