The news is out that Nevada is going to start issuing licenses for online poker. Yes, there will be online gambling in Nevada. Well, sort of online gambling if you squint when you look at it. So, let’s squint and take a look at this puppy.
First, Nevada passed legislation allowing online poker, provided that the Federal government had laws in place first. Then it seems they considered this and decided not to hold their breath and asked someone with legal credentials how to offer online poker without bringing the feds down on them. So the licenses issues in February seem to be designed to bring in online poker and get that ball rolling without doing anything to give the government an in to object.
So, priority in getting an online license will go to existing gambling businesses in Nevada. So, the companies that have already been checked, vetted and approved will get what amounts to a license to offer additional gambling. But they can offer it everywhere, right? Because it’s online.
Well, no. The licenses will only be valid in the state of Nevada and then within restricted area in the state. These restricted areas being casinos, race tracks and other gambling establishments. So Nevada will licenses online gambling offered in existing land based casinos and offered by existing Vegas casinos. Aren’t you excited?
I’ll be keeping an eye on # and other news sites for updates on this situation. Because I’m waiting to see what happens here. It seems to be a way of telling the Feds “hey, we can only wait for so long.”