Las Vegas Review-Journal – The Nevada Gaming Commission will discuss several changes to the state’s Internet gaming regulations at its regular meeting monthly meeting Thursday in Las Vegas.
Adding other casino games, such as blackjack and slot machines to Nevada’s current poker-only status, however, is not under consideration.
Gaming Control Board Chairman A.G. Burnett said there are no plans for the state to move beyond Internet poker.
“We’re only six months into poker,” Burnett said. “For now, we want to prove out poker first.”
Only two pay-to-play real money websites are currently operating in Nevada; UltimatePoker.com, which is majority owned by Station Casinos, and WSOP.com, which is based on the World Series of Poker and owned by Caesars Entertainment Corp.
Nevada will not break out the revenues collected from Internet poker until their are three or more websites operating.
The launch of additional websites is pending approval of the technology used to operate the activity by both independent testing laboratories and the control board’s lab.
Burnett said there might be some confusion on the matter because New Jersey plans to launch its real money Internet gaming by the end of November. The activity, which is tied to Atlantic City casinos, will include casino games and slot machines in addition to poker.
“Nevada is poker only,” Burnett said. “That was the legislative intent from the beginning and the board has no plans to do anything otherwise.”
The regulation changes pending before the commission will add some technical requirements for poker and also conform the language to be compliant with statutory changes made during the 2013 Legislature through Assembly Bill 114.
The commission is also expected to request that the governor enter into compacts with other states that would allow people outside of Nevada to wager on the currently operating poker websites in order to increase the player pool.
