Gambling and Nevada go together like peanut butter and jam in a sandwich. One works well with the other in a winning combination. And although the state of Nevada continues to set the pace, there is a bright future for gamblers in that part of the United States. But before we get to look into the crystal ball to find out more about the future of gambling in Nevada, let’s start by taking a glance at the history of gaming and how it turned the Silver State into the home of all forms of gambling.
The History of Gambling In Nevada
It dates back to 1931. That was when Nevada first legalized gambling in several different formats. Currently, you can legally place bets on horse racing, greyhound racing, sports betting, casino games, private social gambling as well as gamble through various charity-related lotteries and raffles. Nevada has one of the largest numbers of state-regulated casinos that are typically attached to hotels and resorts and are responsible for a huge chunk of the annual revenues generated within the tourism industry. The state also contains casinos located on Native American land reservations which are regulated through the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. However, as open to gambling as Nevada is, when gaming is conducted in either an unlawful manner or without proper licensing, it is considered illegal. All active legal casinos are carefully watched and their activities monitored to ensure they are meeting all required regulations.
Online Gambling In Nevada
The legislation that legalized gambling in Nevada has no mention in it about online gambling. This essentially means that there is nothing illegal about participating in this form of gambling that has no definition in the Nevada Gaming Act. And considering that gambling and Nevada make such a good partnership, it is safe to say that if you live within the state, you can participate in online gambling. However, there are no legally licensed online casinos operating within Nevada although online casinos can be accessed. In other words, offshore online gambling sites have targeted Nevada, and residents of the state have jumped onboard in huge numbers. Although the unlicensed offshore gambling sites are technically illegal in Nevada, it is highly unlikely that you will be penalized should you choose to join one or more of them to exercise your online gambling muscles. Just beware that some of these offshore sites are sketchy. Visit here for assistance in finding good online gambling options.
Where Gambling Is Going In The Future In Nevada
Considering that Nevada is essentially wide open when it comes to most forms of land-based and online gambling, there is not much more to add to the existing landscape. While many other states that permit sports betting have restrictions on what leagues gamblers can bet on, that is not the case in Nevada. Plus, with sportsbooks operating in many land-based casinos, sports bettors have easy access to any of the sports they wish to wager on. And, we can’t forget the options offered by offshore online gaming sites that will primarily provide a casino-type activity where money can be wagered and won.
Where COVID-19 Fits Into The Future of Gambling In Nevada
This is a very interesting situation. Closures and restrictions that have been put in place at land-based casinos in Nevada have most certainly taken a bite out of the normally generous flow of tax revenue to the state. A recent announcement by Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak indicated that gambling casinos would be operating back to normal by June 1st. Stating that Nevada’s goal is to “be able to fully reopen at 100 percent capacity” in every county of the state. “I know that the gaming control board wants to return to normal just as much as everyone else does, which is why they worked so hard with casino owners, local leaders, and employee unions to set up vaccination sites on gaming properties,” Sisolak added.
While the final discussion on whether or not to let casinos open up to 100 percent capacity rests with the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), the Governor is urging residents of the state to get vaccinated and to continue to wear masks. The statewide social distancing mandate will be removed May 1st, but county officials will be left with controlling social distancing as it will remain as a measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As organized as that may sound, officials have already pointed out the possibility of conflicting guidelines should positive COVID numbers climb again pressuring the state to tighten restrictions while the NGCB sets the limits at casinos and on gaming floors.
The Impact Of Online Gambling
One thing you will not see in Nevada at this point is legalized online casinos. This is why offshore online casinos are so popular and with the current COVID restrictions in place at land-based casinos, legislators are having a difficult time dealing with the situation. The apparent fear of legalizing online casinos within the state is the potential loss of revenue to land-based casinos. Pre-COVID, that was a legitimate concern. However, with all of Nevada’s land-based casinos operating under capacity restrictions, offshore online casinos are getting into the action and are taking away a fair deal of revenue that would have otherwise gone into state coffers. So, in a way, the fear of revenue loss from online casinos has come true. The only difference being that had Nevada permitted state casinos to go online, the revenues would have stayed within state borders instead of disappearing outside of the country.
In Conclusion
The state of Nevada has a close and very tight relationship with gambling. With such a well-established gambling culture, it is hard to see any realistic form of expansion. That is unless legislators lighten up on their concern related to online casinos. Currently, with land-based casinos operating under COVID restrictions, offshore online casinos are filling the void. But with offshore online casinos, the state of Nevada loses a great deal of revenue. The only step that could resolve this is to legalize online casinos within the state but that may be easier said than done. In the meantime, pressure is being applied at the state level to get land-based casinos back to full operation.
