RENO, NV -- Currently, the law in Nevada allows online gaming only in our silver state. Already, dozens of casinos have applied and received their interactive operator’s licenses –including the Eldorado, Atlantis, and Siena. 

Chairman of the Nevada state gaming control board, A.G. Burnett, says they will restore faith in a shadowy industry.  “Pretty much everyone in the United States can go gamble online at websites offshore that allow you to do so. The DOJ [Department of Justice] has taken a pretty strong position though that it disagrees with that under the unlawful internet gaming enforcement act,” Burnett said.  

Other issues include restricting access from underage gamblers, and keeping it all within state lines. Partners like IGT and Bally industries are now developing the software to make it all happen. But the interstate part of the industry is still up for debate. The hope is one day we can play online poker from anywhere in America.

“However to go live interstate, you need to comply with the Nevada law which says that there needs to be an opinion from the department of justice saying that that’s allowable, that that’s legal, or there needs to be a federally issued bill allowing it and today we have received neither of those,” Burnett said.

Burnett says he hopes online gaming in the future will have federal oversight. Senator Harry Reid is working on a bill to make on-line poker easier to play as well that is supported by the industry.