Two legislative panels to hear Internet gaming bill next week

CARSON CITY — A bill allowing Nevada to get into the business of interactive gaming will get a hearing Thursday in a joint meeting of the Assembly and Senate Judiciary Committees.

Gov. Brian Sandoval has asked the Legislature to pass an online gaming bill in the first 30 days of the session, but Assembly Bill 114 includes higher fees than he wants imposed for such licenses.

The bill was introduced Wednesday by Assembly Majority Leader William Horne, D-Las Vegas, who is working with Sandoval to get a bill through the Legislature. It has 19 co-sponsors from both parties.

But the bill, which would boost the proposed fee for a license to $1 million from $500,000, could jeopardize the legislation. The bill also would increase the renewal fee to $500,000 from $250,000.

Sandoval spokeswoman Mary-Sarah Kinner said earlier this week that Sandoval does not support the increased fee and will work to resolve the issue before the legislation is passed into law.

Horne said Thursday getting a bill through the session is the priority despite the disagreement over the size of the fee. He said the fee has to be appropriate, otherwise, “we’re selling ourselves cheap for the product we say is the gold standard.”

“And number two, you have to have a fee to where you only attract legitimate persons into the industry,” Horne said. “I understood that the governor had some reservations about that. But that’s the process. You work through that.”

Sandoval said it is “critical” Nevada pass its own online gaming bill, especially with New Jersey considering reworking its proposed online gaming bill. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie recently vetoed an online gaming measure, but said he would sign it into law if the state Legislature made several changes.

“In light of the developments in New Jersey ... the need to act quickly has become even more important, a fact that both Assemblyman Horne and I agree on,” Sandoval said in a statement issued a week ago.

Sandoval said the bill is critical and “should get done within 30 days.” He said it would “help Nevada maintain its position as the gold standard in gaming.”

Contact Capital Bureau reporter Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900.