Nevada Online Poker Bill Moves Forward with Amendments

This week, a Nevada Assembly panel passed an amended version of AB 258, which was introduced by Nevada Assembly Majority Whip William Horne and discussed in the Nevada Assembly Committee on Judiciary in late March.

According to the Associated Press, the amendments will put Nevada’s intrastate internet gaming interests on the sideline until the Federal Government creates guidelines for the industry: “The amended version of AB 258 directs the Nevada Gaming Commission to begin drafting rules to regulate online poker, but stipulates that internet gambling would not be implemented until sanctioned by Congress or the Justice Department.”

The Nevada Resort Association’s Pete Ernaut told the AP, “We believe online poker is inevitable. We wanted a bill that made sense … for the existing gaming industry and the online poker industry.” The measure will essentially set Nevada up should internet gambling and/or online poker become legalized and regulated by Congress or rubber-stamped by the Department of Justice, but when that will happen is anyone’s guess.

The passage of the amended version of AB 258 comes on the heels of Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval telling the Las Vegas Sun that he doesn’t want to be in conflict with Federal law. Sandoval told the desert news outlet, “I don’t want the state to be in contravention of the Federal law.”

However, Sandoval wished for his state to take the lead should the industry move completely above board nationwide: “If, indeed, the Federal Government legalizes online poker, the state of Nevada should be the one that sets up regulatory structure and the investigatory structure for those who seek licensing in that area.”

According to the Wall Street Journal and other major media outlets, PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site, is one of the major proponents of AB 258. Its original draft stated that the licensing commission could not discriminate based on whether a site continued to serve the market following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, or UIGEA, in 2006.

However, it doesn’t appear that PokerStars could set up shop in Nevada and start taking rake. Instead, according to the AP, “Under the Nevada bill, online sites would need to have a partnership with an existing non-restricted license holder or an affiliate that has been in business for at least five years.” PokerStars has already forged a partnership with Wynn Resorts for internet gaming on a Federal level.

On the future of AB 258, Horne told CardPlayer Magazine earlier this week, “My meeting with the Governor in his office yesterday afternoon showed me that he is supportive of the poker bill. He recognizes that we need the bill, and he just has concerns about us coming in conflict with Federal law. Today we passed out an amended version of the bill, and I am confident that the Governor will sign when it reaches his desk.”

PokerStars’ partnership with Wynn Resorts was one of three relationships formed last month. Caesars Entertainment and 888 teamed up to develop the World Series of Poker brand in the U.K., while the owners of Station Casinos separately partnered with Full Tilt Poker should Federally-endorsed online poker come to pass.

Meanwhile, Washington DC became the first jurisdiction in the United States to green light online poker as part of a 2011 budget proposal. The DC Lottery will head up the District’s internet gaming efforts and a series of 20 to 30 internet gambling “hotspots” could be coming to the area as early as June. Meanwhile, internet gaming bills in Iowa, New Jersey, and Florida appear to be dead in the water.

We’ll keep you posted on the latest poker legislation headlines right here on Poker News Daily.

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Poker talk:

FIXED LIMIT - A betting structure where the amount of each bet is a specific fixed quantity. Usually specified as A-B, where A is the amount to bet in the first few betting rounds and B (larger than A) is the amount bet in the later rounds. Related terms: FLAT LIMIT, NO LIMIT, POT LIMIT, SPREAD LIMIT.
SHILL - A card room employee who plays with House money, and does not share in any of his (her) winnings or losses. Shills are used to facilitate starting games, and keeping them going. Compare: PROP.
HOOK - A Jack. So named because the "J" resembles a hook.
LIVE BLIND - The last and largest blind bet may or may not be LIVE. If LIVE, the blind bettor has the option of "raising" his own blind in the event the bet is called around to him. This is normal, and is sometimes referred to as "blinds are live".
FISH - A player who loses money. An old saying is "If you can't spot the fish at the table, *you* are the fish.".
OPENERS - Cards in a hand that qualify a player to open the betting.

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