Nevada Seeking Multi-State Cooperation With Online Casinos Plan

Nevada has always been the leader when it comes to gambling across the US. That is why it comes as no surprise that as several states start to follow Nevada’s lead into the world of online gambling, Nevada is preparing to take the next step and cross state lines.

One of the most controversial issues facing states as they begin to regulate online casinos is the idea that accepting bets from gamblers in other states is illegal. Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval is looking to squash that notion with a new plan that would allow online casinos in states where the activity is regulated, to accept bets from customers in other states.

Sandoval first proposed the idea back in January, when he said it would be important for the economy in Nevada to create these groundbreaking alliances. The first states that may be targeted are California and New Jersey, both states that have begun the process of ending online gambling prohibition.

Assembly Bill 5 is making its way through the Nevada Legislature, and the bill would amend the 2011 law that called for the regulation of Internet gambling. This bill is only one of several that will be discussed during the current legislative session, but it is the one Sandoval wants to see pased most.

For decades Nevada casinos have made a living attracting customers from other states and countries. As the US and the rest of the world have become more liberal to the idea of casino gambling, Nevada casinos have paid the price. Dozens of states have legalized casinos over the past decade, and Macau recently passed Nevada as the top gaming destination in the world.

Their fleeting dominance in the industry was the motivation for lawmakers to approve online casinos in 2011. Now, as other states do the same, Sandoval wants to ensure that Nevada casinos have as much opportunity to attract players as possible, and to the governor that means expanding their reach.

Sandoval has an ally in the US Senate from Nevada. Senate President Harry Reid has been working on federal legislation to regulate online casinos. Reid’s latest proposal was defeated last year, but he has vowed to work with other lawmakers to end prohibition on a national level.