Visitors to Las Vegas and other Nevada casinos could gamble with wireless devices under legislation being proposed by Nevada lawmakers.
A bill is being considered that will allow gamblers to electronically place bets from public areas on casino premises including bars, restaurants and poolsides. The legislation, which lawmakers will likely vote on within the next two weeks, would allow mobile gambling in casinos with at least 100 slot machines and other games.
Mobile gambling has exploded in some Asian and European markets, but tight regulations have kept U.S. gamblers at the table and off wireless devices. Several companies are pushing for the Nevada bill, including an affiliate of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald that has developed wireless gambling technology. Others looking to loosen wireless gambling regulations include Diamond I Inc., which has developed a Wi-Fi gaming system, and Chimera Technology Corp., which is in the final testing stages of a wireless gaming platform.
“We anticipated some time ago that the timing to enter the wireless mobile gaming sector was right, and we are glad to see that recent developments have shown that we made the correct decision,” said Ken Chua, Chimera’s president. “If bill No. 471 is approved, as expected, this will be a great milestone for this industry as it will add legitimacy and credibility.”
