Nevada Governor lends support to Reid-Kyl bill

Posted on October 29, 2012 by r.weston

Former Nevada Gaming Commission chairman Brian Sandoval says sensible federal framework “necessary to compliment state efforts on internet gaming”

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has written a letter to US Senator Harry Reid in support of his proposed federal online poker bill.

The letter is addressed to Reid and House Speaker John Boehner, as well as Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi, minority leaders of the Senate and House respectively and, although unconnected, comes just 24 hours after multiple arrests were made in connection with a number of alleged illegal sports betting activities across the state.

Last week 25 people were arrested as part of a major national investigation in which it is alleged that offshore sites, including Pinnacle Sports, took sports bets from US customers. Nevada-based Cantor Gaming sportsbook director Mike Colbert was one of the individuals, although his charges are understood to be unrelated to Cantor itself.

In Reid’s draft bill, which was leaked last week, federal online poker would be legalised, but other forms of internet gambling, including sports betting, would remain illegal.

Sandoval said in the letter: “As a former Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission, I have a unique perspective on this matter that my fellow governors do not. State rights in this area must be protected, but a sensible federal framework is necessary to compliment state efforts on internet gaming. A sensible federal approach would preserve state authority to ban gaming within its borders, protect minors from exposure to online gaming, and protect legitimate consumers from illegal offshore operators. The Reid-Kyl approach would accomplish these essential objectives while introducing strong consumer protections into a space where none currently exist.”

Last week, the National Governors Association wrote to House and Senate leaders in opposition to the Reid-Kyl bill.

A.G. Burnett appointed chair of Nevada GCB

Posted on October 25, 2012 by t.washington

Ex-gaming attorney Burnett steps into role vacated by Mark Lipparelli last month

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has appointed former gaming attorney A.G. Burnett as the new chairman of the state’s Gaming Control Board (GCB).

Burnett, who joined the board in January 2011, replaces former chairman Mark Lipparelli in the role which he vacated last month.

He previously worked as senior deputy attorney general in the gaming division and earlier in his career acted as an associate in a Reno law firm engaging in civil litigation.

According to the Las Vegas Sun, Sandoval said Burnett has the “experience on the Gaming Control Board combined with his strong working relationships with regulators and securities regulators in countries such as Macau and Singapore (and he) will be an invaluable asset as the board moves into the next generation of gaming.”

Earlier this week Sandoval appointed to Terry Johnson to the GCB to complete the three-man line-up.

Johnson, director of the state Department of Business and Industry, a role which involves overseeing 635 employees, will join the GCB on 12 November. Unlike Lipparelli, who prior to joining the GCB had worked at Bally Technologies and Shuffle Master, Johnson’s career has only been in the public sector.

New Nevada GCB member appointed

Posted on October 24, 2012 by r.weston

Terry Johnson replaces former chairman Mark Lipparelli on 12 November

The replacement for Mark Lipparelli on the three-man Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) has been named by Governor Brian Sandoval.

Terry Johnson, director of the state Department of Business and Industry, a role which involves overseeing 635 employees, will join the GCB on 12 November. Unlike former GCB chairman Lipparelli, who prior to joining the GCB had worked at Bally Technologies and Shuffle Master, Johnson’s career has only been in the public sector.

He will not replace Lipparelli as chairman though, with Sandoval yet to name the successor in that role. The other two board members, A.G. Burnett and Shawn Reid, are both in the frame for the position.

Sandoval said of Johnson’s appointment: “I am pleased that Terry has agreed to serve our state in this capacity. Terry’s strategic leadership and innovative thinking has helped him effectively operate one of the more complex departments in state government. I have no doubt that his regulatory experience and public service background will serve as a strong foundation for this next step.”

Lipparelli stepped down from his GCB role on 28 September and Sandoval has said that there is no need to rush the appointment of a new chairman.

The next GCB meeting for the recommendation of online poker licence applicants takes place on 1 November.

Nevada Governor: No rush to replace Lipparelli

Posted on September 28, 2012 by r.weston

Current Nevada Gaming Control Board chairman Mark Lipparelli steps down today after nearly two years in role

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has said there is no need to immediately appoint a successor to replace outgoing Gaming Control Board (GCB) chairman Mark Lipparelli, who will step down from his role today.

The other two board members, A.G. Burnett and Shawn Reid, will conduct next week’s meeting, in which Boyd Interactive, Fertitta Interactive and Golden Nugget are seeking approval for licensure, without Lipparelli.

Both men are in the frame to become the next chairman, while a third board member will also need to be appointed in the near future.

Sandoval told the Las Vegas Sun: “Both are well respected, and the current chairman is complimentary of them.”

Reid began his career at the GCB in 1990 as an agent in the Board’s Investigations Division, while Burnett was previously the deputy chief of the Corporate Securities Division, and both were appointed board members in January 2011. Candidates from outside of the GCB are also expected to emerge.

Earlier this month, eGR NA exclusively revealed that Lipparelli was set to leave his post today. While the former Bally Technologies executive has yet to decide his next move, it is understood he has already been approached by several gaming companies. No announcement is expected to be made until after he has left his current role.

Bally recommended for Nevada’s first online licence

Posted on June 7, 2012 by r.weston

Final decision to be made by Nevada Gaming Commission on 21 June

Bally Technologies has received a recommendation from the Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) for the first online gaming licence in the US.

The GCB’s recommendation on Wednesday was unanimous and is scheduled to be reviewed by the Nevada Gaming Commission on 21 June, when a final decision will be made.

The licence would enable the company to provide online operations for licensed land-based casinos in Nevada to offer internet poker.

John Connelly, VP of Business Development at Bally Technologies, told eGR North America he was very pleased that the company is the first to be recommended out of all the European online platforms.

“We are very excited to be the first not only in Nevada, but first in the US,” he said. “We feel this justifies our approach. Now the key is to keep that leadership position. There’s still a lot of work to be done. The GCB has recommended us, now the Commission must validate that recommendation and we see no reason why that wouldn’t happen.”

During the hearing, Bally executives also encouraged the control board to approve internet poker on mobile devices, saying that studies show more people access the internet through a mobile device rather than a desktop computer.

“We feel strongly that handheld devices are the future for many many reasons, when looking at the statistics,” Connelly added.

Bally Technologies was one of the first gaming companies to apply for an online licence in Nevada, along with International Game Technology (IGT), since Governor Brian Sandoval signed the state’s egaming bill into law last year. More than 20 applications have been made, with the likes of MGM and Boyd Gaming among the applicants.

The manufacturer moved online in February year, launching its remote gaming server, and recently applied for online gambling licences in both Gibraltar and Alderney. That launch was followed by Bally’s acquisition of Chiligaming’s B2B iGaming Platform, which boasts Golden Nugget as its first partner and is set to bring the land-based casino online in the near future.

In March this year the company entered into an agreement with Aristocrat for the potential pooling of poker liquidity in a regulated American market.

William Hill is scheduled to have its application reviewed by the Nevada Gaming Control Board today, while IGT’s will be reviewed on 16 June.

Bally Technologies CEO Richard Haddrill (pictured) said he was grateful for the Board’s recommendation.

“This is a historic day for Bally Technologies, for Nevada, and for the gaming industry,” he said. “We are proud to achieve yet another milestone in our 80-year history and look forward to further supporting our Nevada casino customers with our technology in this exciting arena.”

Lipparelli: Online poker in Nevada still months from reality

Posted on May 15, 2012 by t.washington

Nevada’s Gaming Policy Committee discusses anti-fraud measures in second meeting.

Online poker players in Nevada will have to wait another “six to eight months” before sites will be up and running in the state, according to Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli.

Speaking at the Gaming Policy Committee meeting in Las Vegas yesterday, Lipparelli said the first licenses should be obtained in 30-60 days, yet stringent checks and approvals of website technology will prolong the process until at least autumn.

The committee met to discuss how the state could use technology to avoid fraud by verifying the age, identity and location of an online player. Under proposed legislation, only players located within Nevada’s state borders would legally be allowed to play poker online.

According to news site Vegas Inc, the 11-member panel, headed by Governor Brian Sandoval, also heard an in-depth presentation from bwin.party co-CEO Jim Ryan, who explained how his company has successfully prevented fraud, player collusion and underage gambling in Europe. He stated that out of one million unique users per month, there are just 10 cases of underage players making it through bwin.party’s security. bwin.party has entered into strategic agreements with both MGM Resorts and Boyd casinos in Nevada to provide online poker technology.

Ryan claimed that geo-location software could allay fears of bets coming from outside of the Silver State, stating that the current technology available is “99.8% accurate”.

The Gaming Policy Committee meeting was the second of four scheduled this year, after it held its first for more than 30 years in March. The committee was revived in order to recommend public policy positions and suggest legislation in advance of online gaming approval.

In his closing remarks, Lipparelli confirmed his desire for federal egaming regulation. He warned of a multi-state “race to the bottom,” whereby others states hurriedly try to catch up with Nevada without investing time and resources in anti-fraud technologies.