Gaming Law International

Nevada moves to legislate online poker

The Governor of Nevada, Brian Sandoval, in Tuesday asked the state legislature to approve a bill that would allow Nevada to enter into agreements with other states to offer online gambling, specifically poker, and that would also repeal an existing law prohibiting interstate gambling until such time as a federal law was enacted to address the issue. Nevada does not want to be left behind it the US moves to allow online poker. 

Mobile gambling comes to Las Vegas

Las Vegas Sands Corp. will be the first Nevada gambling operator to allow guests to gamble at its Venetian Resort Hotel Casino using hand-held mobile gambling devices. Last March, the Nevada Gaming Control Board approved the use of wireless hand-held  devices for gambling in public areas of casinos such as restaurants, nightclubs and poolside where the activity can be monitored by the casino's security and surveillance system.

Nevada approves rules for wireless gambling devices

The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved operational rules that will allow patrons to gamble at select casino sites using handheld wireless devices. The devices can play wireless poker and blackjack, among other games. The devices will be licenced for use in public casino areas such as pools, lounges, bars, restaurants and convention areas. An obvious continued concern remains the potential access to the devices by minors. Nevada is the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to approve wireless gambling devices.

Gambling in Nevada going wireless

The Wireless Weblog has a good post on the decision by Nevada to introduce and regulate wireless handheld gambling devices. Under proposed regulations being drafted by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, casino guests can gamble using wireless devices as long as they stay on casino property.  There are many issues to consider, such as ensuring the integrity of the devices and controlling who uses them to ensure, for example, that minors are not able to gamble using a device borrowed from their parents or that persons who are self-excluded are not able to similarly borrow the devices to circumvent their exclusion from gambling.