Nevada senator introduces bill for stricter fines for offshore operators
Nevada State Sen. Rochelle Nguyen has introduced SB256, a bill that would allow Nevada courts to impose harsher penalties against gambling operators who are found to be violating the state’s online gaming laws, The Nevada Independent has reported.
The American Gaming Association says unregulated offshore betting cost licensed gaming operators nationwide more than US$17 billion in lost revenue last year.
The bill presented in the Senate Judiciary Committee will seek to eliminate this illegal activity by increasing financial penalties beyond the US$50,000 maximum fine.
The legislation has support from the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), the Nevada Resort Associate, the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling and the Vegas Chamber of Commerce.
AGEM Executive Director Daron Dorsey expressed to the committee that the problem of illegal online gambling is growing and needs to be tackled.
“Disgorgement of profits from the illegal activity is yet another avenue that will help punish illegal operators who come to Nevada,” he said. “We also hope the enactment of SB256 will discourage illegal operators from targeting Nevada residents in the first place.”
A lack of legal alternatives in Nevada may partly fuel this growth of illegal offshore platforms. The state’s gaming industry has opposed the legalization of online casinos, seeing them as competition to traditional casino operators despite several gaming companies operating online platforms in other states.
