From February 2012, the Nevada Gaming Control Board will start accepting applications to offer online poker services to players located within state borders.
This is good news not only for the thousands of Nevada residents who play online poker, but also for the state, which will be able to raise much-needed revenue by legalising and taxing online poker within its borders.
With Goldman Sachs estimating that the US market for online casinos and poker could be worth $12bn and individual states - like Nevada - now beginning to liberalise, both US and overseas gaming operators are starting to execute their market entry strategies. In April, William Hill announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire American Wagering, which operates mobile sports betting services under the Leroy's brand.
Commenting on the announcement, Russell Carter, founder of Interactive Mobile Broadband, which helps state and other legal remote gambling operators validate the ages and locations of prospective customers, said: "While the rewards for regulatory compliant online operators in Nevada could be huge, so will be the downside for any who fail to meet the NGCB's stringent legal, regulatory and technical standards. This includes making sure that online gambling services are not made available to anyone located outside Nevada state borders, where they remain illegal. Taking a bet from a player located outside Nevada could mean losing your licence."
