Proposed Online Poker Transparency Bill Fails in Nevada

The Nevada Independent reported that the state of Nevada’s legislative procedure has led to the demise of a proposed bill that aimed to enhance transparency in the online poker industry within the state.

Caesars Entertainment’s Opposition Leads to Death of Online Poker Transparency Bill

The bill’s primary backer, professional poker player Sara Cholhagian Ralston, made amendments to remove the word “cheating” from the measure and instead create a list of all players with an account and their status.

Despite these changes, the Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairwoman, Brittney Miller, confirmed that there were not enough votes to move the bill forward, with Caesars Entertainment opposing the legislation. The company, which operates Nevada’s only poker website based on the World Series of Poker, argued that the proposed law would create a burden. 

At the beginning of April, Caesars Entertainment opposed the bill. According to Caesars’ lobbyist, Mike Alonso, although the company collaborates with the Nevada Gaming Control Board to prevent malicious users from accessing its website, the transparency measures proposed by Ralston could result in harming an individual’s reputation or players demanding compensation. Alonso further noted that Caesars already does everything it can to keep “bad actors” off the site.

In connection with the bill proposal, Danielle Barille, who serves as the vice president of Caesars Digital responsible for the operation of the World Series of Poker website, confirmed that the company’s software uses sophisticated algorithms to monitor every poker hand played on the site.

Ralston Vows to Continue Fight for Transparency in Nevada’s Online Poker Industry

Ralston is, however, not giving up on the issue of transparency in the state’s online poker industry. She stated that she believes the conversation is too important to be abandoned and that she would seek to reintroduce the bill in the 2025 legislative session unless gaming regulators add more transparency to online poker.

Ralston, who was formerly the executive director of the state’s Patient Protection Commission, brought this issue forward because of her belief that transparency is crucial to protecting the integrity of the game. Although the bill did not pass, the discussion surrounding transparency in online poker is likely to continue, particularly as more states legalize online casino gaming.

Nevada legalized online poker in 2013, but it is a small market, leaving Caesars as the only operator. The state is part of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement with Delaware, New Jersey, and Michigan, which aims to build a player pool for the nation’s smallest states in terms of population.