Nevada set to legalise esports betting

Esports betting is set to become legal in the US state of Nevada after state governor Brian Sandoval signed a bill amending the pari-mutuel wagering rules.

Although Nevada gaming regulators already allowed betting on esports, the bill formalises it under state law.

Senate Bill 240 comes into effect on July 1 and will allow other sports to be added to the pari-mutuel wagering category, including esports and bets on awards shows like the Oscars.

As part of the new law, the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) can issue licenses permitting the conduct of the pari-mutuel system of betting.

The law states that the licensee provides quarterly payments to the NGC at 3% on the total amount wagered on any race or sporting event.

The NGC could also introduce fingerprinting of a licensee and request more in-depth personal information.

The US state of Nevada saw its overall gaming revenue increase by 1.19% to $886.5m (£689m/€790m) in April 2017 from $876.1m for the same month in 2016.

Although an increase, the results are not as impressive as in March when revenues increased by 7.45% year-on-year to reach $984.6m.

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