Demand for a conference that could set the groundwork for how the Nevada Gaming Commission regulates online casinos has been overwhelming to the chairman of the commission.
Brian Sandoval is pleased with the way the initial planning has gone and feels the two-day session, to be held July 31-August 1, will help both industry experts and the commission assess the situation in Nevada.
Sandoval, who has all but finalized the agenda for the symposium, says the commission has been inundated by responses from Internet gaming companies.
"We had a lot of executives wanting to demonstrate their products and such," Sandoval said. "We just couldn't invite the individual businesses because we'd have to invite them all."
Although he wasn't able to accommodate the many companies wanting to display their wares, Sandoval was able to confirm a list of leading experts from a wide array online gaming-related industries.
The focus of the meeting was never to demonstrate what's out there for consumers, according to Sandoval, but rather to determine the best ways to regulate Internet gaming.
"The commission needs to understand the state of technology," Sandoval said. "We want to bring in the top experts, and I'm pleased by the response we've received. I expect the conference to be most useful and informative, for the public as well as the commission."
The conference is the result of Nevada becoming the first state in the U.S. to legally accept online casinos. The legislature approved a bill allowing the commission to develop rules that would let Nevada casino operators operate online gambling sites.
Many feel it could take 18 months to two years before regulations and standards are in place for the online gaming community in Nevada. In addition to determining the regulatory process, the commission must be able to determine that Internet gambling is legal in the U.S.
The commission must then determine that technology exists to keep children, problem gamblers and residents of states where gambling is illegal from betting on Nevada-regulated sites.
Technology issues are scheduled to take up the bulk of the two-day conference, while University of Nevada, Las Vegas Law School Dean Richard Morgan and several of his students have agreed to address key legal issues.
MGM Mirage Vice Chairman Dan Wade is scheduled to discuss the casino industry's interest in Web gambling. Bear, Stearns & Co. industry analyst Marc Falcone and Internet gambling expert Sebastian Sinclair are expected to discuss the economic impact of state-regulated e-casinos.
Two of the technical experts Sandoval included on the conference agenda are from Australia, which has had regulated Internet gambling for several years.
One of the Australian experts, Steve Toneguzzo, is scheduled to discuss system-testing methods adopted by regulators in his country. Another Australian, Hugh Monypenny, is slated to address security issues.
A former America Online chief technical officer is scheduled to discuss the technology available to verify the age and location of cyber bettors.
Both sessions are open to the public and are planned to begin at 9 a.m. at the Community College of Southern Nevada's Charleston Campus.