Poker players in Nevada are scratching their heads in confusion this week due to conflicting reports that state officials may or not be looking into a new online poker regulation bill. Two weeks ago, British stockbroker Daniel Stewart said in an interview that Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) was expected to introduce an all new poker bill to Congress within the next three months, only for Reid’s office to now step forward and say that those rumors are “greatly exaggerated.”
When asked for comment from Card Player magazine, a spokesperson for Sen. Reid’s office released the following statement: “Senator Reid has long held concerns about whether online gaming could be regulated effectively. Rumors of a forthcoming bill, however, are greatly exaggerated and stem from staff trying to get a thorough understanding of every facet of the issue, including the potential effect on Nevada.”
While many were disappointed to learn that the senator wasn’t aggressively pursuing the bill, his office at least confirmed that he was open-minded to the idea. Sen. Reid has built a reputation for staying fairly neutral when it comes to his opinion of online poker regulation, despite representing the biggest gambling state in the U.S. He has said in the past that he does not feel that online poker software is advanced enough to provide the protection needed to warrant full regulation.
Another rumor suggests that Reid’s supposed bill would only apply to online poker and leave out other gambling interests like casino games and sports betting. The American Gaming Association thinks that’s a good place to start however, saying that “If there are people in Congress who are concerned whether or not Internet gaming can be properly regulated to that standards that we do in Nevada and New Jersey and some of the other states, why not start with poker? Give it a shot, and that will be the proof in the pudding, whether or not it can be properly regulated.”
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