After months and months of waiting, it’s finally happened! The Nevada Gaming Commission has unanimously approved Nevada’s proposed online poker regulations. Nevada is now ahead of the pack, and in the future, will likely be looked to as the model state for poker regulation. In the event that online poker becomes federally legal, then Nevada will already have a system in place that can be used as an example for the rest of the nation.
There is nothing to stop Nevada from offering an intrastate system now, except if the Department of Justice has anything to say. Governor Brian Sandoval has not shown any particular interest in pursuing an intrastate system, and has commented that Nevada would be the first out of the gates when and if the federal government gets things organized. During this time, Nevada will be undergoing the process of detailing and finishing off their regulations technical standards, as well as internal controls. It is expected that this will be completed in a few short months, on February 1, 2012.
The landscape of online gambling and the online poker industry has really changed this past year. As we get closer to starting a new year, it looks like progress will continually be made in the online gambling industry, and who knows? Maybe by 2013, online gambling as well as online poker will be legal in more than just Nevada.
