Nevada Regulators Finalize Testing and Monitoring Requirements

Nevada gets closer to online poker After presenting eleven drafts and conducting extended collaboration and debate, the Nevada Gaming Commission signed off requirements and regulations for online poker testing companies in Nevada. The rules for the testing agencies labs enter into force on May 1, 2012. This is another step on Nevada's way to legalized intrastate online poker, and it has been specified that this is the first time a system for using and monitoring independent testing agencies is now in place, allowing Nevada regulators to save time, staff and costs by delegating testing responsibilities to external resources. However, everything still depends on the state officials' imprimatur. So far, they have been pretty vague when it comes to the start date. According to department chief Jim Barbee, the change in policy has already caused some 12 staff members of the Nevada technology department to be laid off. In addition, a statement arrived from Nevada Control Board chairman Mark Lipparelli that there will be no inside tracks for competing test labs, and that the process for approving test agencies would be open and competitive. According to him, the market will soon see unsuitable or underperforming agencies go to ruin, with the Board keeping a close watch.