Nevada Passes Stripped Down Online Gaming Bill
For a long time it looked as though Nevada would be the first state to go it alone on online 
gaming legalisation. As we all know it eventually got cold feet, deciding that the best option was to wait and see what was happening at a federal level. Then Black Friday came along and the legalisation suddenly looked a long way off.
Six weeks later on and Nevada has now passed a bill that will at least prepare the state for countrywide legalisation. The bill still requires law changes at a federal level before any local action but does require that a licensing process be in place by January 2012. It also states that any applicants to run online gaming must partner with a pre-existing license holder (for which read bricks and mortar casino).
Online Pros Looking For The Way Forward
With the current paucity of online options in the United States for those pros who used to make a living from it, it appears there’s a popular groundswell of opinion that a move abroad may be the way to go. A browse through the various online poker forums will quickly tell you that those with the big bankrolls may soon be looking to relocate.
Canada and Mexico seem to be relatively popular destinations - it’s close to home and the cost of living is fairly cheap. Those with more money obviously have more choice and Europe is another option. The U.K. is quite expensive but your stakes and winnings are tax free - Italy and France are also expensive but certain transactions will be taxed.
Not everyone wants to leave however and this may be an opportunity for the online superstars to try their luck at live games if they haven’t had the pleasure before. Of course a move to Las Vegas still involves a certain amount of relocation.
Lastly there are those who will sit out the lull and look optimistically to a future when the UIGEA is consigned to the congressional dustbin.
