Caesars Opposes Nevada Bill Aimed at Transparency in Online Poker

The Nevada Independent reported that at the latest hearing with the Assembly Judiciary Committee held on April 5, Caesars Entertainment opposed bill AB380, which requires regulators to create a list of people who have been suspended or banned for cheating with interactive gaming accounts. 

Caesars Interactive Addresses Cheating Claims Amidst Calls for More Transparency

The AB380 bill was drafted by professional poker player Sara Cholhagian Ralston, who submitted an amendment to address privacy and liability concerns. However, Caesars’ lobbyist, Mike Alonso, stated that while the company works with the Nevada Gaming Control Board to keep bad actors off its site, Ralston’s efforts for transparency could lead to damaging someone’s reputation or players seeking compensation.

Nevada legalized online poker in 2013, but only one website is available in the state, World Series of Poker, which is run by Caesars Entertainment. Since there is just one online poker site, the state does not disclose revenue from the activity. 

Cheating is covered by Nevada law and falls under the Gaming Control Board’s jurisdiction, with Caesars cooperating and providing reports as required. Danielle Barille, vice president of Caesars Digital, which operates the World Series of Poker website, assured the Assembly Judiciary Committee that every poker hand played on the website is monitored through advanced algorithms in the company’s software. 

Barille further added that at present, Caesars Interactive is in the process of reducing the number of accounts that violate their terms of service, based on reasonable suspicion.

Assemblyman Raises Concerns Over Labeling Poker Players as Cheaters Without Evidence

During the Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing, concerns were raised by assemblyman Ken Gray regarding the release of the names of poker players and the potential for public shaming. Gray expressed his worries about labeling someone a cheater without concrete evidence. 

In response, Sara Cholhagian Ralston emphasized the importance of transparency for the poker community in Nevada and protection for players. She pointed out that in the online poker world, players are not provided with enough information about their competitors, making it challenging to make informed decisions. 

According to Ralston, players need relevant information to decide who they want to play with and who they want to avoid. Additionally, Ralston highlighted that many poker players rely on the game as their livelihood, further emphasizing the need for consumer protection.

Nevada is part of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which was created in 2014 with Delaware to build the player pool for two of the nation’s smallest states in terms of population. The agreement now includes four states – New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, and Michigan.