No time soon

JOHN Connelly, Bally Interactive Vice President of Business Development said that he doesn’t think online poker will be legalized this year. “An election year makes things a little more complicated,” Connelly said. Despite Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid trying to turn the tables on legalisation, Connelly said that he hasn’t actually produced any drafts since 2010, so chances look glum.

Caesars Entertainment Corp. and other casino companies have lobbied for federal legislation to regulate online poker and to allow states to opt out if they choose. Connelly said the gridlock in Congress would be an “obstacle moving forward.”

Nevada was the first state to adopt rules allowing companies to apply for licenses to operate poker websites in the state. Those with a license will have to prove that they are worthy of keeping up with online poker. “We hope to see the first licenses by June in Nevada,” Connelly said. He said intrastate gaming is available to players in one time zone, instead of three.

“Also, the cost to maintain these players is increasing,” Connelly told casino executives, government regulators and others during a panel discussion about the future of online gaming at iGaming North America. He also identified that mobile phones are the root of online gambling succeeding. “The evolution of (Internet) gaming is with handheld and mobile devices, not personal computers,” Connelly said.

Caesars Entertainment Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Halkyard said there is a growing consensus among law enforcement, consumer safety and child advocates, and the casino industry about the need for reform of federal Internet gaming laws and strict regulation of online poker. “The status quo was unacceptable before last December’s (Justice Department) opinion,” Halkyard said. “It’s even more unacceptable today.”