Former Gaming Operator: Federal Opportunity Gone

The former Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, in an interview with Card Player magazine said that he believes that the window for federal online poker legislation has closed because of the progress that states have made in regulating the game.

The comments came from Mark Lipparelli, who was the Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board for three years and recently resigned to go back into the private sector. During the interview he said that state compacts to expand player liquidity could be put into play next year, but stated that he feels it would be a mistake to make those agreements too complex.

On the topic of federal legislation Lipparelli said, "There are several markets that are in the process of opening; commercial commitments have been made and licensing events have taken place. The time (for federal lawmakers) to act was during the last 24 months. The complexity associated with unwinding now is probably too great."

"Instead, permissions between states are more likely the way to go," he added.

The full interview can be read on Card Player's website at: http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/16102-former-nevada-gaming-control-...