Nevada Gaming Control Board to Start Accepting Online Poker Applications in February

Earlier this year, a bill was signed in Nevada that called for online gaming regulations to be in place by January.  With those regulations on the verge of being passed, it was announced earlier today that the Nevada Gaming Control Board will starting taking online poker applications in February of 2012.

According to an article by vegasinc.com, investigations for companies applying for licenses would begin in February.  This came directly from Mark Lipparelli, the chairman of the Gaming Control Board.

The licenses would allow companies to offer online poker to the residents in Nevada, but could not extend to anyone beyond its borders.  The games would be in a closed-loop setting, much like the way that sports betting is done online or via the phone in Nevada.

Companies already with an existing Nevada state gaming license will find the process easier as the online poker license would just be attached to existing licenses.  New companies will have to go through the full investigation process.  In order to receive a license, a company must be able to prove that they have the technology in place to limit action on the sites to Nevada residents of legal age.

According to Lipparelli, “We’ve taken our brick-and-mortar operational standards to a new level.  We’re going to continue to be flexible, but we think we’ve set the bar high for licensing and suitability.”

While many feel that this is an important step towards national legalization of online poker, one must remember that the UIGEA actually already allowed an exemption in the law for intrastate gambling and intratribal gambling.

However, this may indeed be a first and important step to seeing the effectiveness of online gaming legislation and the impact it has on the overall revenue collected by casinos offering it.  Surely, Congressional leaders will take heed to Nevada’s successes and failures in the upcoming months.