Nevada to Issue Online Poker Licenses

The Nevada Gaming Control Board is moving ahead with online poker - with or without a resolution at a federal level - after giving the first indications this week that it will soon begin accepting license applications.

Work to Begin Immediately

Board chairman Mark Lipparelli said at a conference on US Internet gaming law this week that his organization would soon accept license applications for online poker sites to operate in the street, and added that those applications would be investigated immediately.

However, while casino operations from around the country will be able to apply for licenses, it is clear that only poker players inside Nevada will be able to access the site, while those trying to enter it from outside state boundaries in the United States will find themselves blocked.

Blazing the Trail

Despite the intrastate restrictions, many gambling industry insiders are already saying this is a first step toward allowing players in other states to use online poker once federal laws allowing such play come into effect.

Nevada is historically the leader among its 50 counterparts when it comes to land-based gambling, and now the rich desert state is set to find an additional source of revenue with this latest move. One wonders how long it will take for other states to catch up and realize the enormous potential providing and regulating online poker has to offer - both from a tax revenue and from a responsible gambling perspective.