month in minutes
Q&A
Mark Lipparelli
chairman, Nevada Gaming Control Board eGR: Can poker generate the necessary liquidity and revenues the industry and the government need? ML: If we end up in a state model, there will be great motivation for states to join ranks in the interest of higher liquidity and it won’t be long in coming. Unfortunately, the rocks in the road will appear almost as fast. There might be greater clarity on a state policy level that embraces full online gaming, but I do not see that kind of support on a national scale. I think there may be deeper questions to ponder about where gaming products are consumed and how available they might be to the public. Our industry’s history and good progress in bricks and mortar should not be ignored. eGR: Following the DoJ clari?cation on the Wire Act, do you see online casino gaming as being rushed through as well? ML: The change in policy has an impact on people’s focus but it is not the end of the analysis. In some respects, it may have even created unplanned complexity. This is another core reason that changes at the national level providing clarity make sense. For example, if there remains no ?rm legal view on legal internet options versus illegal options, how are licensed entities and the public going to effectively argue their interests are even remotely protected? Setting aside federal law complexities, there are state law violations piled up and the lack of effective enforcement (which national law could help remedy) serves the black market.
5
CONSEQUENCES OF A DEAL
Bally Technologies acquires Chiligaming's B2B iGaming platform
The iGaming platform will allow Bally’s casino customers to choose poker, slot and table products from providers using a cloud-based system.
eGaming Review (eGR): What form do you see regulation taking, state-bystate, federal or both? Mark Lipparelli (ML): I could not predict with certainty any legislation nationally. However, even if there is a national framework, which I support, it will need to accommodate state-bystate preferences. eGR: If state-by-state, who will bene?t the most and who will lose out? ML: I am not sure I agree at this stage with a premise that a state-by-state model is bene?cial to these parties outside of the initial rollout of product. There are complexities with attempting to harmonise the rules of even a few states, let alone harmonising important elements such as tax policy and technical requirements. The little harmonisation among bricks and mortar state regulatory bodies today is a great example. eGR: If a federal bill is passed, what would this look like and how much power would it have over existing intrastate gaming regulations? ML: Federal le ?\?][?\? ??H?[[??Y?? H ?\?YY[?\?\? ?[?? Y[???\?]?? X?????H ??Y\??[? ?]\?[?\?\?[?? K \?H\??&]H?X]Y?YH???? ?X?? ??H ??X?[?? ?Y?\?\??? ?]\? [?H\?HH?\?[???]]?H[Y\?X?[? ?X?K? \?K X?????H ??Y\??[?Y ???]H?? ??H ?Y??\?[?????H ??[H?[Z[???]\?[?HZ?[ H ]??\]]]?H ??][??\?H ???[?? [\?[ ?\??][? [? H[?\??] ?X?K??\]][? ?[???X??H[?[??K???B??]??H ??[?H ?[ X?Y ??Z[??]??Y[? ?] ?Y?Y \ H??[??Y??]?\?[??\?] ?;? \???\??Y\?[??X??X\?K?????????[Y?[Z[????[?\?[??S?[^[? ?H ?^Y?\? ?[??[??[ H[?? ?]\? X[H? ? ?] H??\[?x?&\?]\??X[?Y?X?[?????\??] ? ?[?\?]H ?\\?][ H\??[\??\?[??[X?\?[????HX[??\???[ HX??\?? ??[x?&\?^ \?\?H[?X\??][??[?Y??[X]H ???[[Y\?????[??] ??[?H?[Z[???Y[?X[ ?????[?[ H?H]?\?Y[?Y?[Z[??X?[??H[??]?YK ?X?\?Z?[ H???Y\?[??] ?^\?[??[??\?YX?[??H[?\?]Y?H[? H ?]K HQ?[Z[???????[?[?????\? ?]?[ H?]?\??[HHY?]\[? HT?X\??] ]??Y[?? H ?X??HX?[??[?? ???Y \?\??X?YY?]X?YY ???[?K??[ H[ ?XY H? ?[? X?\?Y?[X?[??X?[??\?[? HXZ??] H? H
LT? ?]\???B?????Y?XY?^?[?K???B??LB??