As the leading state in the race to be first to offer online poker on an intrastate basis, Nevada continued to make progress by finalizing rules regarding the testing of software to be utilized by poker sites that win licensing approval.

The Nevada Gaming Commission announced that independent labs will conduct the testing and inspection procedures of the applicants according to guidelines established by the commission. Nevada has never outsourced testing procedures for gaming equipment used at land-based casinos. The Silver State continues to make history in a variety of ways.

“We are going in a direction we have never gone before,” said Gaming Commissioner Tony Alamo.

History was made in December when Nevada adopted regulations to provide Internet poker within the state’s borders. And history will continue to be made every step of the way leading up to poker players being able to play for real money on the virtual felt in Nevada.

Regulators are unsure how many testing labs will be needed, although all testing will be outsourced instead of being done by the state technology division, which had performed all of those duties until now. Nevada regulators will still have final approval as to the operation of gaming devices and software. The independent labs will alleviate the burden of technological testing being performed in-house.

Testing is tentatively scheduled to begin in May, as the new rules for independent testing labs will become effective May 1, 2018. Operators who have submitted an application for a gaming license in Nevada are inching closer to launching Internet gambling websites. Once the software and equipment tested meets approval by the testing labs and a receives final approval by Nevada gaming officials, online poker in Nevada will be that much further to becoming a reality.

The new online poker and gambling format permits existing gaming license holders in Nevada to offer online poker in collaboration with service providers. To that end, land-based Nevada casinos have been forging agreements with the biggest names in online poker and casino entities, such as 888 Holdings and Bwin.party Digital Entertainment.