As you may know, the Nevada legislature passed Senate Bill 318 in '97 which
looked at internet gambling within the state. It was part of a broader
bill which considered the legalities of "messenger betting" and the use of
other electronic devices. IGN has gotten the draft version of the
regulations as it relates to that bill. A meeting on the draft regs is
scheduled in Las Vegas on April 14.
For those you, particularly software vendors, who might be targeting the
traditional land-based casinos in Nevada, you'll likely want to pore over
this with a fine-toothed comb.
IGN spoke with Ted Townsend who is a supervisor of the Audit division of
the Nevada Gaming Control Board. He pointed out that, while Senate Bill
318 allowed for internet gambling to exist in Nevada, the regulations do
not. They looked at the proposed Internet Gambling Prohibition Act and even
used the definition of the internet as used in that bill. "We felt that
there are problems with internet gambling so we're not allowing it under
the proposed regulations," said Townsend.
He did note that communications mediums which allow for direct modem
communication within the state are allowable, however, under the new regs.
After the meeting on the 14th, there will be a two week comment period.
The staff at the Control Board hope to have the regulations on the
Commission agenda for their May meeting.
While we're offering you the full set of regulations, let us point out some
of the more salient points:
- Page 6 of the regulations offers the Nevada Gaming Control Board's
definition of "communications mediums" and "internet." It does not include
internet in the definition of communications mediums which are being
legalized under these regs.
- Page 34 gives a more thorough definition of communications medium and
which types are allowed as well as which are prohibited.
- Page 36 discusses the proposed regulation that wagering communications
(wagers over the telephone) must "establish and implement a system of
internal control for such communications."
Click here to view the amendments.