Monthly Archives: September 2011

Nevada Gaming Control Board Impresses William Hill CEO

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Bradley Vallerius| Leave a comment

Ralph Topping has not “felt this closely assessed since [he] met [his] prospective father-in-law for the first time.”

The chief executive of William Hill, a publicly traded UK corporation that offers a full of range of online and retail gambling products, is referring to the thorough investigatory procedures of Nevada’s Gaming Control Board. His company recently applied for a license to operate wagering products in the State of Nevada.

“We’re only part way through this lengthy process and look forward to the next visit later in the Fall before we finally go before the Nevada Board, potentially in spring of next year,” says Ralph.

To read Mr. Topping’s description of the “gold standard” Nevada process in his own colorful words, please visit Ralph’s Blog.

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Posted in Business News, Nevada

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Report from Nevada’s Public Workshop on Draft I-gaming Regs

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Bradley Vallerius| Leave a comment

Nevada’s Gaming Control Board held a public workshop Monday, Sept. 26 to discuss the Gaming Commission’s draft regulations for interactive gaming and the public comments they generated.

A report from journalist Howard Stutz is available via Las Vegas Review Journal: Talks on Internet poker regulations downright peaceful.

According to the report, the public comment submissions concerned little more than “minor cleanup language revisions and changes.”

The report also says Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli expects to have a revised draft of the regulations available in two weeks, and that Lipparelli indicated: “the planned timetable for the regulations would be for additional public hearings at the control board’s and Nevada Gaming Commission’s November meetings, followed by adoption votes in December.”

For the Bettor Good was not present at the meeting and cannot vouch for the accuracy of the Review Journal‘s report.

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Posted in Nevada

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Senator Reid: Online poker would create lots of jobs

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Bradley Vallerius| Leave a comment

Earlier this week Senator Harry Reid conducted a Town Hall meeting on Twitter/Youtube about jobs creation. Here is his reply to a question related to internet gaming:

I was Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission. I have been very very dubious about online gaming. In fact I’m opposed to online gaming, but [I'm] for what we see in online poker.

Poker, you see, we have millions of million of people who are playing online right now. Some of them are doing it illegally. And what we need to do it made it legal– have good controls. Right now there are inadequate controls. That’s why all those people were recently indicted.

And of the framework we have, Nevada would benefit significantly, because most of the enforcement would come based on Nevada gaming laws, which have been in effect since 1932.

So online poker would create jobs and lots of jobs.

See: Senator Reid’s Twitter Town Hall on Job Creation on Youtube. The question about online poker begins at the ten-minute mark.

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Posted in Nevada, U.S. Federal

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Workshop on interactive gaming Sept 26: Nevada Gaming Control Board

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Bradley Vallerius| Leave a comment

Nevada’s Gaming Control Board has published notice that it will conduct a public workshop on September 26 to solicit comments about its recently published draft regulations for interactive gaming.

According to the notice issued September 7 by the Gaming Control Board, “Interested persons will be afforded the opportunity to present statements, argument or contentions in writing, with or without opportunity to present them orally. Written comments should be submitted prior to Monday, September 19, 2011…”

The workshop agenda will cover:
• Possible new Regulation 5A – Operation of interactive Gaming
• Possible amendment of NGC Regulation 14 — Manufacturers, Distributors, Operators of Inter-Casino Linked Systems, Gaming Devices, New Games, Inter-Casino Linked Systems, On-line Slot Metering Systems, Cashless Wagering Systems and Associated Equipment
• Possible amendment to NGC Regulation 3 – Licensing: Qualifications
• Possible amendment to NGC Regulation 8 – Transfer of Ownership; Loans
• Possible amendment to NGC Regulation 4 – Applications: Procedure

Click Here to view Nevada Gaming Controls Board’s Notice and Agenda of Public Workshop.

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D.C. Lottery Modernization Plan involves free-play “Internet Demonstration Games”

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Bradley Vallerius| Leave a comment

The D.C. Lottery has launched a new website with substantial information related to its plan to operate internet gaming within the territorial limits of Washington, D.C.

Researchers can find within the i-gaming section of the new website:

• The text of the Lottery Modernization Act (enacted as part of Fiscal Year 2011 Supplemental Budget Support Act of 2010 and codified at D.C. Code § 3-1313),
• Details of D.C. Lottery’s plan for “Internet Demonstration Games” as published in the D.C. Register on June 17, 2011 (Vol. 58 – No. 24),
• A simplified FAQ about the i-gaming plan, and
• Various documents related to gathering questions and comments from the public, including procedure and agenda for the community outreach meetings beginning this month in each of the city’s eight wards.

According to the Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on June 17, the Lottery will at first limit its endeavors to free-play wagering with points or credits made available to players free of charge. The first set of games the Lottery plans to run includes Victory at Sea, Blackjack, Texas Hold’em, Bingo, Electronic Instant Tickets, and Random Number Generated Games.

For the Bettor Good commends D.C. Lottery for making this information so easily available.

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Posted in Washington, D.C.

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Internet gambling and the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (“Super Committee”)

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Bradley Vallerius| Leave a comment

U.S. lawmakers returned to Congress today after a long summer recess. Anticipation is building toward Thursday, when the newly-created Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (often referred to as the “Super Committee”) will hold its first organizational meeting.

Given that the committee has power to deliberate plans to reduce the federal deficit and then speed them through the rest of Congress, there is much speculation about whether the committee will attempt to enact an internet gambling bill.

For a poignant analysis of factors bearing on whether committee members will decide to address internet gambling, please see Global Betting & Gaming Consultants: I-Gaming Fits US Super Committee Scope.

The following paragraphs are clipped from the much longer article:

…But a deficiency in hearings does not mean there are no discussions outside of Chambers. Lobbying reports suggest many discussions are taking place. Party leaders are surely informed of relevant issues and procedural obstacles. And if they think moving a bill through the other committees is too difficult, then maybe it is precisely the sort of thing for which the Super Committee was designed….

…The most intriguing member of the committee is Senator Jon Kyl, who currently undertakes the role of Whip for Republicans in the Senate. Prior to UIGEA’s enactment in 2006, Kyl was a chief sponsor of bills to prohibit internet gambling. Recently he joined Sen. Reid in criticizing the Justice Department for lack of consistency and aggression in enforcing internet gambling laws. Together, Kyl and Reid have requested that the Justice Department clarify its position on internet gambling law– presumably because they hope to improve it….

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Posted in U.S. Federal

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Drafts of interactive gaming regulations published in Nevada (Regulation 5A, pursuant to AB 258)

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Bradley Vallerius| Leave a comment

In 2001, by a unanimous vote in its Senate and a nearly unanimous vote in its Assembly, the State legislature of Nevada enacted a law giving the Nevada Gaming Commission power to adopt regulations for the licensing of “interactive gaming.” (2001 Statutes of Nevada, Page 3075 (Chapter 593, AB 466))

Although the 2001 statute stated that the Gaming Commission may adopt regulations, it forbid the Commission from doing so until it could determine that interactive gaming can be operated in compliance with federal law. Ten years after enactment, the Gaming Commission still had not begun the process of adopting regulations.

Then in the spring of 2011 Nevada’s lawmakers presented an amendment ordering the Gaming Commission to proceed with adopting regulations anyway. Once again the bill passed swiftly through the legislature with nearly unanimous approval. (2011 Statutes of Nevada, Page 1668 (Chapter 302, AB 258)).

The 2011 enabling statute prevents “interstate” interactive gaming licenses from becoming effective until either a) U.S. Congress enacts a law legalizing licensed games or b) “The United States Department of Justice notifies the Board or Commission in writing that it is permissible under federal law to operate the specific interactive gaming for which the license was granted.”

The 2011 enabling statute authorizes interactive gaming on an “intrastate” basis only. It also envisions that interactive gaming licenses should be obtainable only by “resort hotels” which already hold a nonrestricted license to operate gaming in Nevada.

On August 1 the Commission published a draft of proposed regulations to license and regulate interactive gaming. See Regulation 5A. (And also Regulation 3.100, Regulation 4.030, Regulation 8.130, and Regulation 14).

Although the legislature’s enabling statute defines “interactive gaming” broadly, the Gaming Commission proposes to license and regulate only poker on the internet.

See Also: Global Betting & Gaming Consultants: Nevada Favors Resorts… (Sept. 19, 2011)

Please see our “Nevada” tab above for a more complete overview of developments in the state.

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Posted in Nevada

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